This guy who refuses to be labeled:

This awesome dog:

These incredibly stubborn men:

]]>Matt Kiebushttps://www.buzzfeed.com/mjkiebus/rebels-without-a-causeSun, 11 Sep 2016 10:01:03 -0400Try and stop them.mjkiebusnonadultThe Pictures Coming Out Of This Town Liberated From ISIS Are Stunninghttps://www.buzzfeed.com/hayesbrown/the-pictures-coming-out-of-a-town-liberated-from-isis-are-st?utm_term=4ldqpia
Manbij, a city in the Aleppo province of Syria, fell under the control of rebels backed by the United States on Friday after heavy fighting.

US-backed Syrian rebels on Friday claimed they had seized total control of a town that had been under ISIS control since 2014.

Rodi Said / Reuters

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a coalition of mostly Kurdish fighters with some Arabs among their ranks that receives US support, had been campaigning to remove ISIS from the city for the last 73 days.

Rodi Said / Reuters

Most of ISIS was repelled from the city last week, but dozens of fighters remained, the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at the time.

Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters chat with an injured civilian

Rodi Said / Reuters

The group on Friday said that about 500 cars carrying ISIS fighters and civilians were seen leaving Manbij heading toward an ISIS stronghold on the Turkish border.

]]>Hayes Brownhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/hayesbrown/the-pictures-coming-out-of-a-town-liberated-from-isis-are-stFri, 12 Aug 2016 18:50:12 -0400Manbij, a city in the Aleppo province of Syria, fell under the control of rebels backed by the United States on Friday after heavy fighting.hayesbrownnonadult31 People Who Embody The True Spirit Of Anarchyhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/lukebailey/peopele-who-are-rebels?utm_term=4ldqpia
Rebel! In discreet and non-damaging ways!

The person who took this stapler away from Floor 4, and on a world tour.

This pharmacy that gives zero fucks:

This dog who doesn't give a shit about your table:

This thrill seeker:

]]>Matt Kiebushttps://www.buzzfeed.com/mjkiebus/savageSun, 10 Jan 2016 10:30:18 -0500Don't mess with these guys. <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/firstworldanarchists">h/t r/firstworldanarchists</a>mjkiebusnonadultReport: Mustard Gas Was Used During A Fight Between ISIS And Syrian Rebelshttps://www.buzzfeed.com/hayesbrown/report-mustard-gas-was-used-during-a-fight-between-isis-and?utm_term=4ldqpia

A rebel fighter looks at smoke billowing in the background during clashes.

Fadi Al-halabi / AFP / Getty Images

Mustard gas was used during a clash between ISIS fighters and Syrian rebels, a recently completed report from the world's chemical weapons watchdog says.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was tasked with investigating reports of the banned weapon being used on the battlefield in Syria.

An OPCW report dated Oct. 29, first seen and reported by Reuters, indicated that the assessment had determined "with the utmost confidence that at least two people were exposed to sulphur mustard" — another name for mustard gas — in the town of Marea, north of Aleppo.

The fact-finding mission wasn't charged with determining just who unleashed the gas, but according to Reuters, "diplomatic sources said the chemical had been used in the clashes between Islamic State and another rebel group taking place in the town at the time."

The OPCW is reportedly also investigating whether ISIS used mustard gas against Kurdish peshmerga forces in Iraq.

The report will be presented formally to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon later this month. The U.N. did not respond to a request for comment on the Reuters report.

Syria allegedly destroyed its stockpile of chemical agents as part of a deal struck after the government of President Bashar al-Assad used nerve agents to kill an estimated 1,100 people in a mass attack in 2013. The White House, when asked, did not say whether it believed that ISIS was capable of creating its own chemical weapons or if it acquired mustard gas through Assad's stockpile.

“We have seen continued reporting and allegations regarding use of chemicals as weapons by elements of ISIL in Iraq and Syria," a White House spokesperson told BuzzFeed News. "While we will not comment on intelligence or operational matters, let us be clear: Any use by any party, be it state or non-state actor, of a chemical as a weapon of any kind is an abhorrent act. But such despicable behavior would be consistent with ISIL’s record of complete disregard for human rights and international norms and values.”

]]>Hayes Brownhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/hayesbrown/report-mustard-gas-was-used-during-a-fight-between-isis-andThu, 05 Nov 2015 17:41:37 -0500The banned chemical was unleashed in August, the world's chemical watchdog is prepared to say in a new report.hayesbrownnonadult
<p><img src="https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2015-11/5/17/enhanced/webdr12/enhanced-mid-20428-1446762457-7.jpg" width="720" height="480" alt="" /></p>
<p>A rebel fighter looks at smoke billowing in the background during clashes.</p>
<p><small>Fadi Al-halabi / AFP / Getty Images</small></p>
<p>Mustard gas was used during a clash between ISIS fighters and Syrian rebels, a recently completed report from the world&#39;s chemical weapons watchdog says.</p><p>The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was tasked with investigating reports of the banned weapon being used on the battlefield in Syria.</p><p>An OPCW report dated Oct. 29, first <a href="http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/11/05/uk-mideast-crisis-syria-chemicalweapons-idUKKCN0SU2Q920151105">seen and reported</a> by Reuters, indicated that the assessment had determined "with the utmost confidence that at least two people were exposed to sulphur mustard" &mdash; another name for mustard gas &mdash; in the town of Marea, north of Aleppo.</p><p>The fact-finding mission wasn&#39;t charged with determining just who unleashed the gas, but according to Reuters, "diplomatic sources said the chemical had been used in the clashes between Islamic State and another rebel group taking place in the town at the time."</p><p>The OPCW is reportedly <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/20/us-mideast-crisis-chemicalweapons-exclus-idUSKCN0SE1XM20151020#sCO4UZCRQFRD5E3M.97">also investigating</a> whether ISIS used mustard gas against Kurdish peshmerga forces in Iraq.<br /></p><p>The report will be presented formally to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon later this month. The U.N. did not respond to a request for comment on the Reuters report.<br /></p><p>Syria allegedly destroyed its stockpile of chemical agents as part of a deal struck after the government of President Bashar al-Assad used nerve agents to kill an <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/security/2013/08/30/2558151/intel-syria-chemical-weapons/">estimated 1,100</a> people in a mass attack in 2013. The White House, when asked, did not say whether it believed that ISIS was capable of creating its own chemical weapons or if it acquired mustard gas through Assad&#39;s stockpile.<br /></p><p>&ldquo;We have seen continued reporting and allegations regarding use of chemicals as weapons by elements of ISIL in Iraq and Syria," a White House spokesperson told BuzzFeed News. "While we will not comment on intelligence or operational matters, let us be clear: Any use by any party, be it state or non-state actor, of a chemical as a weapon of any kind is an abhorrent act. But such despicable behavior would be consistent with ISIL&rsquo;s record of complete disregard for human rights and international norms and values.&rdquo;<br /></p>
<p><small></small></p>
nonadultSyria's Refugee Crisis Is About To Get Worse As People Flee Russia's Bombinghttps://www.buzzfeed.com/borzoudaragahi/syrias-refugee-crisis-is-about-to-get-worse-as-people-flee-r?utm_term=4ldqpia
The Russian bombing campaign combined with a ground offensive by pro-regime militias and armed forces are prompting fears of a new wave of displacement.

Kurdish Syrian women rest outside their tent on the outskirts in the northern Aleppo countryside on Oct. 18.

Mahmoud Hebbo / Reuters

ISTANBUL — Aid workers are propping up tents, preparing provisions and deploying medical staff as they brace for a new wave of displaced Syrians escaping renewed fighting in and around the country's commercial hub, Aleppo.

The contested city is the focus of an intense military campaign. Russian warplanes partnering with ground forces backing the regime of Bashar al-Assad are attempting to rest control of swathes of the city, including the center, from an assortment of rebel groups that have controlled it for years.

Pro-regime militias, including Hezbollah fighters and Iranian military advisers, are said to be sweeping in from the south of the city and to the north of Homs, prompting up to 80,000 people to gather up their meager belongings and head either north toward the Turkish border or west toward regime-controlled territories.

"(The airstrikes) never stop, going and coming," said Zaidoun al-Zoabi, an Aleppo physician and aid worker. Jet "pilots are flying at low altitudes, and people are so scared, 24 hours a day."

The displaced Syrians, with millions already scattered in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan as hundreds of thousands scramble to get to Europe, pose a vexing a challenge for policymakers seeking to balance humanitarian priorities with political considerations in countries increasingly intolerant of refugees. German Chancellor Angela Merkel traveled to Turkey last weekend in a controversial attempt to convince authorities to slow the tide of refugees in the country.

But critics say Merkel's approach fails to address the root of the problem: the no-holds-barred war in Syria, a conflict exacerbated by the recent Russian intervention on behalf of Assad.

Video footage posted to the Internet on Thursday, which corroborates witness accounts and other published reports, showed intense shelling, purported by advanced Russian warplanes, striking sites described as the southern outskirts of Aleppo.

Other footage posted online showed farmers driving trucks loaded with household goods traversing roads beneath the gray skies that have moved in over northern Syria during the last few days.

]]>Borzou Daragahihttps://www.buzzfeed.com/borzoudaragahi/syrias-refugee-crisis-is-about-to-get-worse-as-people-flee-rFri, 23 Oct 2015 11:32:31 -0400The Russian bombing campaign combined with a ground offensive by pro-regime militias and armed forces are prompting fears of a new wave of displacement.borzoudaragahinonadultKurdish Syrian women rest outside their tent on the outskirts in the northern Aleppo countryside on Oct. 18.nonadultISTANBUL — Aid workers are propping up tents, preparing provisions and deploying medical staff as they brace for a new wave of displaced Syrians escaping renewed fighting in and around the country's commercial hub, Aleppo.
The contested city is the focus of an intense military campaign. Russian warplanes partnering with ground forces backing the regime of Bashar al-Assad are attempting to rest control of swathes of the city, including the center, from an assortment of rebel groups that have controlled it for years.
Pro-regime militias, including Hezbollah fighters and Iranian military advisers, are said to be sweeping in from the south of the city and to the north of Homs, prompting up to 80,000 people to gather up their meager belongings and head either north toward the Turkish border or west toward regime-controlled territories.
"(The airstrikes) never stop, going and coming," said Zaidoun al-Zoabi, an Aleppo physician and aid worker. Jet "pilots are flying at low altitudes, and people are so scared, 24 hours a day."
Vanessa Huegenin, of the United Nation office of Humanitarian Coordination, told BuzzFeed News aid groups estimated 50,000 people departed from Aleppo province in the past week ending Wednesday. "People lack tents, water, basic house kits and food," she said.
The displaced Syrians, with millions already scattered in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan as hundreds of thousands scramble to get to Europe, pose a vexing a challenge for policymakers seeking to balance humanitarian priorities with political considerations in countries increasingly intolerant of refugees. German Chancellor Angela Merkel <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-10-18/merkel-cites-progress-with-turkey-on-refugees-in-erdogan-talks">traveled to Turkey</a> last weekend in a controversial attempt to convince authorities to slow the tide of refugees in the country.
But critics say Merkel's approach fails to address the root of the problem: the no-holds-barred war in Syria, a conflict exacerbated by the recent Russian intervention on behalf of Assad.nonadultPlumes of smoke rise from purported Russian airstrikes hitting rebel positions south of Aleppo.nonadultVideo footage <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PTXNOfTCTU&amp;feature=youtu.be&amp;app=desktop">posted to the Internet</a> on Thursday, which corroborates witness accounts and other published reports, showed intense shelling, purported by advanced Russian warplanes, striking sites described as the southern outskirts of Aleppo.
Other footage <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-O0Bya34uM0">posted</a> online showed farmers driving trucks loaded with household goods traversing roads beneath the gray skies that have moved in over northern Syria during the last few days.nonadultnonadultAid workers on the Turkish border are bracing for a fresh wave of displaced Syrians.
"The situation there is really terrible, terrible even for a person who is involved very much in humanitarian aid, who is very much accustomed to the war itself," said Zoabi, who works with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/uossm.org">UOSSM International</a> and arrived in southern Turkey from Aleppo on Tuesday. "This time it is totally different. People are far more scared than before, far more hopeless. They have adapted and adjusted to war right now, but this is not something they can deal with."
Turkey, which has so far hosted more Syrian refugees than any other nation, has grown impatient with the crisis. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday reiterated longstanding calls to set up a safe zone inside Syria to allow those escaping the war to remain in the country and to better arm rebels fighting the Assad regime.
"If these are done, I believe the migration from Syria will stop and the refugees that we are hosting will also be able to go back," he <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/22/us-europe-migrants-syria-turkey-idUSKCN0SG1HT20151022">said</a>.
Zoabi and other aid workers said the families have not yet arrived on Syria's borders, likely because of the dangerous ISIS-controlled territories they'd have to cross get out of the county. But he said he saw dozens of groups sheltering in the countryside as he made his way to the frontier. "I saw scattered families camping here and there, everywhere, in trucks, walking, trying to escape the violence," he said.
The U.N. estimates that at least 35,000 people are in the move in this new wave, but Zoabi and others said there were perhaps more than 70,000 in the last week. Aid workers are struggling to get the supplies into the country to help residents survive an impending spell of cold and rain.nonadultPeople flee Aleppo as Russia steps up its bombing efforts in defense of the Syrian regime.nonadultZoabi said most of the families are impoverished and didn't have the means to escape until now. "They are very poor people who did not even have money to eat," he said. "They are desperate. Now it's even difficult to locate people."
The new wave of displaced people from around Aleppo may be just the tip of the iceberg. Syria's front lines have been largely frozen for the last two years. If Russian-backed regime militias begin to move aggressively in the country's densely populated northwest or its rebel-controlled south, even more displaced Syrians will arrive at Turkish, Lebanese and Jordanian refugee camps and, eventually, the West.
<i>Sarah Dadouch contributed to this report.
</i>nonadultA truck loaded with household items makes it way through rural Aleppo province.nonadultGunmen Abduct Foreign Tourists From Resort In Southern Philippineshttps://www.buzzfeed.com/mbvd/gunman-abducts-foreign-touris-from-resort-in-philippines?utm_term=4ldqpia
The military said that a Norwegian, two Canadians, and a Filipino were abducted at gunpoint from a resort in the Philippines late Monday night.

Unidentified gunmen abducted four people — two Canadian tourists, a Norwegian resort manager, and a Filipino woman — from a popular resort in the Philippines late Monday night, according to the army.

The four were taken at gunpoint at the Oceanview resort on Samal Island, near Davao City, the largest city on Mindanao island, said Capt. Alberto Caber.

The region has had security problems in the past due to tensions with Islamist rebels. In 2014, a peace agreement was signed with the largest rebel group in the south, ending 45 years of conflict and bringing relative peace to the region.

A 2001 raid led by Islamist rebels to kidnap tourists on Samal Island's Pearl Farm resort failed, but three security personnel were killed during the attack.

"Four people were taken but we do not know what group was behind the attack," Caber told reporters of the Monday attack, according to Reuters.

About 30 tourists were at the Holiday Oceanview Samal Resort at the time. Two Japanese tourists at the resort tried to intervene before the gunmen took off with the hostages on a motorized outrigger.

"It appeared the foreigners were the targets, they were not taken at random," Caber added.

The abducted foreigners were identified as John Ridsel and Robert Hall from Canada, and Kjartan Sekkingstad, the Norwegian manager of the resort. The Filipino woman is married to one of the two Canadians, but has not been named.

A police and coast guard operation was underway to search for and intercept the gunman's boat, while other authorities were being sent to possible landing areas.

]]>Michelle Broder Van Dykehttps://www.buzzfeed.com/mbvd/gunman-abducts-foreign-touris-from-resort-in-philippinesMon, 21 Sep 2015 23:42:00 -0400The military said that a Norwegian, two Canadians, and a Filipino were abducted at gunpoint from a resort in the Philippines late Monday night.mbvdnonadultnonadultUnidentified gunmen abducted four people — two Canadian tourists, a Norwegian resort manager, and a Filipino woman — from a popular resort in the Philippines late Monday night, according to the army.
The four were taken at gunpoint at the Oceanview resort on Samal Island, near Davao City, the largest city on Mindanao island, said Capt. Alberto Caber.
The region has had security problems in the past due to tensions with Islamist rebels. In 2014, a peace agreement was signed with the largest rebel group in the south, ending 45 years of conflict and bringing relative peace to the region.
A 2001 raid led by Islamist rebels to kidnap tourists on Samal Island's Pearl Farm resort failed, but three security personnel were killed during the attack.
"Four people were taken but we do not know what group was behind the attack," Caber <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/22/us-philippines-kidnapping-idUSKCN0RM03220150922">told</a> reporters of the Monday attack, according to Reuters.
About 30 tourists were at the Holiday Oceanview Samal Resort at the time. Two Japanese tourists at the resort tried to intervene before the gunmen took off with the hostages on a motorized outrigger.
"It appeared the foreigners were the targets, they were not taken at random," Caber added.
The abducted foreigners were identified as John Ridsel and Robert Hall from Canada, and Kjartan Sekkingstad, the Norwegian manager of the resort. The Filipino woman is married to one of the two Canadians, but has not been named.
A police and coast guard operation was underway to search for and intercept the gunman's boat, while other authorities were being sent to possible landing areas.nonadultMeet The Obscure Company Behind America’s Syria Fiascohttps://www.buzzfeed.com/aramroston/the-secret-arms-deal-behind-americas-syria-fiasco?utm_term=4ldqpia
A multimillion-dollar deal with a minuscule arms dealer led to the death of a US citizen, delays in arming Syrian rebels, and the purchase of weapons from a pro-Russia dictatorship — all for a pile of defective 30-year-old weapons.

A member of Free Syrian Army training in 2012.

Shaam News Network/Handout / Reuters

At the heart of the high-stakes U.S. program to train and equip Syrian rebels to fight ISIS is a multimillion-dollar arms deal that the Pentagon farmed out to a tiny, little-known private company called Purple Shovel LLC. A BuzzFeed News investigation, based on inside documents and confidential sources familiar with the Syria operation, has found:

▸ Purple Shovel, through the subcontractors it selected and oversaw, tried to sell the U.S. thousands of Russian-style rocket-propelled grenades that were considered unreliable because they were manufactured three decades ago, before Mikhail Gorbachev came to power in the Soviet Union.

▸ The U.S. government rejected them, and that delayed the effort to stand up the Syrian rebel force.

▸ An American contractor, 41-year-old Francis Norwillo, was killed in a weapons explosion in Bulgaria while training with such outdated grenades.

▸ The U.S. violated its own policy and gave Purple Shovel approval to acquire millions of dollars' worth of high-tech missiles for the rebels from Belarus, a dictatorship that is under sanctions by the European Union. Belarus, which has supplied weapons to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime and is accused of human rights violations, is normally off-limits to U.S. arms dealers. But the U.S. military and State Department agreed to make an exception, allowing 700 powerful anti-tank missiles to be purchased, with U.S. taxpayer funds, for the rebels.

A Pentagon spokesperson defended its Train and Equip program in a statement to BuzzFeed News, saying, "We remain committed to expanding the New Syrian Forces and will continue to support those who we have trained." She said the arms "delivery issues" identified in this story did not "prevent" training, though she said she would "not comment on delivery schedules." A U.S. Special Operations Command spokesperson, Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Allen, acknowledged that the U.S. had acquired missiles from Belarus for the program.

A lawyer for Purple Shovel wrote that many of BuzzFeed News' findings are incorrect. She declined to provide details because she said the firm is barred by federal law from discussing its Defense Department contracts. Purple Shovel's CEO and founder, Benjamin Worrell, said in a brief telephone conversation, "I have absolutely no comment for you. I'm sorry."

Purple Shovel's arms contract is at the core of one of America's top international priorities: thwarting ISIS, the extremist group that has seized large regions of Syria and Iraq, beheaded many of its captives, and helped fuel the ongoing exodus of refugees from Syria. Last year, President Barack Obama gave a primetime televised speech from the White House, calling on Congress to approve his $500 million program to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels. The program was to recruit moderate Syrians, vet them to ensure they weren't infiltrators sent by ISIS or other groups, train them overtly using the U.S. military, and arm them. In December, Congress appropriated the funds.

A militant waves an ISIS flag in Raqqa, Syria, in June 2014.

Stringer / Reuters

Yet this July, eight months later, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter testified that only 60 Syrians had been trained. Later, in a devastating blow, the Syrian commander trained by the Americans was captured along with some of his soldiers by Islamist rebels from the Jabhat al-Nusra group. And this week, the commander of Central Command, General Lloyd Austin, testified that only four or five of the U.S.-trained rebels were actually deployed and fighting ISIS.

While those fiascoes are known, the problems with Purple Shovel's multimillion-dollar arms contract have not been reported until now, and they show that troubles with the high-profile effort run deeper than previously realized.

They also illuminate the murky world of arms-dealing contractors behind many of America's efforts to prop up friendly fighting forces. The United States government is one of the biggest buyers of AK-47s and other Russian-designed weapons, pouring them into Iraq, Afghanistan, and other war-torn countries. The U.S. provides foreign weapons to groups it trains because fighters sometimes prefer them, because they can conceal U.S. links to an operation, and because they are inexpensive. As BuzzFeed News has reported, the Pentagon and the CIA sometimes use small, untested arms dealers to purchase the weapons.

]]>Aram Rostonhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/aramroston/the-secret-arms-deal-behind-americas-syria-fiascoThu, 17 Sep 2015 12:00:11 -0400A multimillion-dollar deal with a minuscule arms dealer led to the death of a US citizen, delays in arming Syrian rebels, and the purchase of weapons from a pro-Russia dictatorship — all for a pile of defective 30-year-old weapons.aramrostonnonadultA member of Free Syrian Army training in 2012.nonadultAt the heart of the high-stakes U.S. program to train and equip Syrian rebels to fight ISIS is a multimillion-dollar arms deal that the Pentagon farmed out to a tiny, little-known private company called Purple Shovel LLC. A BuzzFeed News investigation, based on inside documents and confidential sources familiar with the Syria operation, has found:
▸ Purple Shovel, through the subcontractors it selected and oversaw, tried to sell the U.S. thousands of Russian-style rocket-propelled grenades that were considered unreliable because they were manufactured three decades ago, before Mikhail Gorbachev came to power in the Soviet Union.
▸ The U.S. government rejected them, and that delayed the effort to stand up the Syrian rebel force.
▸ An American contractor, 41-year-old Francis Norwillo, was killed in a weapons explosion in Bulgaria while training with such outdated grenades.
▸ The U.S. violated its own policy and gave Purple Shovel approval to acquire millions of dollars' worth of high-tech missiles for the rebels from Belarus, a dictatorship that is under sanctions by the European Union. Belarus, which has supplied weapons to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime and is accused of human rights violations, is normally off-limits to U.S. arms dealers. But the U.S. military and State Department agreed to make an exception, allowing 700 powerful anti-tank missiles to be purchased, with U.S. taxpayer funds, for the rebels.
A Pentagon spokesperson defended its Train and Equip program in a statement to BuzzFeed News, saying, "We remain committed to expanding the New Syrian Forces and will continue to support those who we have trained." She said the arms "delivery issues" identified in this story did not "prevent" training, though she said she would "not comment on delivery schedules." A U.S. Special Operations Command spokesperson, Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Allen, acknowledged that the U.S. had acquired missiles from Belarus for the program.
A lawyer for Purple Shovel wrote that many of BuzzFeed News' findings are incorrect. She declined to provide details because she said the firm is barred by federal law from discussing its Defense Department contracts. Purple Shovel's CEO and founder, Benjamin Worrell, said in a brief telephone conversation, "I have absolutely no comment for you. I'm sorry."
Purple Shovel's arms contract is at the core of one of America's top international priorities: thwarting ISIS, the extremist group that has seized large regions of Syria and Iraq, beheaded many of its captives, and helped fuel the ongoing exodus of refugees from Syria. Last year, President Barack Obama gave a primetime televised speech from the White House, calling on Congress to approve his $500 million program to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels. The program was to recruit moderate Syrians, vet them to ensure they weren't infiltrators sent by ISIS or other groups, train them overtly using the U.S. military, and arm them. In December, Congress appropriated the funds.nonadultA militant waves an ISIS flag in Raqqa, Syria, in June 2014.nonadultYet this July, eight months later, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter testified that only 60 Syrians had been trained. Later, in a devastating blow, the Syrian commander trained by the Americans was <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/mikegiglio/us-backed-syrian-rebel-leader-kidnapped-in-syria#.ot7dM5adM">captured</a> along with some of his soldiers by Islamist rebels from the Jabhat al-Nusra group. And this week, the commander of Central Command, General Lloyd Austin, testified that only four or five of the U.S.-trained rebels were actually deployed and fighting ISIS.
While those fiascoes are known, the problems with Purple Shovel's multimillion-dollar arms contract have not been reported until now, and they show that troubles with the high-profile effort run deeper than previously realized.
They also illuminate the murky world of arms-dealing contractors behind many of America's efforts to prop up friendly fighting forces. The United States government is one of the biggest buyers of AK-47s and other Russian-designed weapons, pouring them into Iraq, Afghanistan, and other war-torn countries. The U.S. provides foreign weapons to groups it trains because fighters sometimes prefer them, because they can conceal U.S. links to an operation, and because they are inexpensive. As <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/aramroston/how-a-one-time-pig-peddler-helped-the-us-flood-war-zones-wit">BuzzFeed News has reported</a>, the Pentagon and the CIA sometimes use small, untested arms dealers to purchase the weapons.nonadultIncorporated in Delaware in 2010, Purple Shovel was founded by Benjamin Worrell, who worked in Army counterintelligence from 1993 to 2001, <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2366507-sv-benjamin-d-worrell.html">according to military records</a>. His company is designated as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned small business. His last assignment was with the 902nd Military Intelligence Group out of Fort Meade, Maryland. Military websites say the unit runs <a href="http://www.ftmeade.army.mil/garrison/partners.html#p902ndMIGroup">"full spectrum counterintelligence activities,"</a> which include <a href="http://jackson.armylive.dodlive.mil/units/902nd/">"detecting, identifying, neutralizing and exploiting foreign intelligence services, international terrorist threats and insider threats."</a>
From 2005 onward, according to his LinkedIn page, Worrell worked for the U.S. government and a series of contracting companies. He and his wife filed for personal bankruptcy in 2008, the year the financial crisis was cratering the economy. He reached an agreement with the bankruptcy court to discharge the debt, and federal court records show that his bankruptcy case was closed in July 2012. A Purple Shovel attorney, Margaret Carland, emailed that the bankruptcy was associated with medical costs and "is a private matter of no public news consideration."
Purple Shovel's big break came in December 2014, when it won two contracts totaling more than $50 million for the Syria program from the Special Operations Command, or SOCOM, which coordinates the activities of America's most elite military units.
When Purple Shovel was awarded those crucial contracts, according to a federal procurement database, the company had just six employees and <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2398323-purple-shovel-arms-contract-fpds-gov.html">annual revenue of less than $2 million</a>.
One contract, <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2410599-purple-shovel-from-fpds-23-5-million.html">for $23.5 million</a>, was not for guns, but rather for training and equipment. Over time, the contract came to include things like "Arabic keyboards," and swelled to $31 million. Purple Shovel, records show, got this contract as a "sole source" award, meaning there was no competitive bidding — no other companies were able to try to get the work at a cheaper rate. Federal law typically discourages no-bid contracts, and the Pentagon declined to say why one was given in this case, though a federal procurement data system reported that it was because there was "only one source." Still, <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2398389-contractor-performance-assessment-report.html">according to a performance review Purple Shovel shared with BuzzFeed News</a>, the government gave the company a glowing review of its work on this contract, which was completed at the end of July, calling the work "exceptional."
The other big <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2398323-purple-shovel-arms-contract-fpds-gov.html">SOCOM contract</a> was for approximately $26.7 million and was for "Foreign Weapons and Ammunition," according to the description. In this case, federal records say Purple Shovel won the contract in a competitive bid against two other companies. This contract eventually worked its way up to $28.3 million.
The equipment Purple Shovel and its subcontractors were supposed to buy for the Syrian rebels, according to documents and sources familiar with the procurement operation in Bulgaria, included 12,640 armor-piercing rocket-propelled grenades, of a type called the PG-7VM, along with hundreds of shoulder-mounted launchers. Then there were 6,240 even longer-range anti-tank grenades called PG-9Vs, which are fired from launchers called SPG-9s. (Insiders pronounce it "spig-nines.")nonadultnonadultAccording to four sources with knowledge of the procurement, there was a huge problem with the effort to get the grenades. Purple Shovel's subcontractors managed to find rocket-propelled grenades made by a Bulgarian company, but they'd been manufactured in 1984 and sitting in warehouses longer than many soldiers had been alive. "1984 is way past its shelf life," one arms expert told BuzzFeed News, "unless it's been refurbished." But sources say these grenades had not been refurbished. The problem is that components can degrade, making the weapons either unstable, so they can blow up in a soldier's hand­, or inert, so that soldiers can't fire the weapons, leaving them vulnerable in battle.
Three of those sources said that SOCOM turned down batches of the grenades that were supposed to be given to the rebels, because they were too old and unreliable. They say that slowed down the operation for the Syrian rebel effort.
SOCOM and the Pentagon didn't dispute that they rejected substandard equipment, but Cmdr. Elissa J. Smith, a Pentagon spokesperson, emailed BuzzFeed News, "I can tell you that the delivery issues did not prevent training from occurring."
Meanwhile, Bulgarian arms dealers with knowledge of the deal told BuzzFeed News they are being asked to find newly manufactured rocket-propelled grenades for SOCOM to fill the gap in the Syria program. New weapons are hard to procure, Bulgarian arms industry executives said, because due to the wars around the world, production for Russian-designed grenades and other weapons in Bulgaria and other Eastern European countries has reached capacity. The production lines are full.nonadultSyrian rebels with a SPG-9 rocket launcher in 2012.nonadultOn June 6, the news broke in Bulgaria of a mysterious explosion near the village of Anevo, at a rented arms range just a few miles from a medieval mountain fortress. One American contractor was killed and two were injured. Two Bulgarians were also injured.
Soon afterward, the U.S. Embassy in the Bulgarian capital Sofia released a statement revealing the name of the Purple Shovel and its connection to the Syria operation.
<blockquote>
The defense contractors involved in this incident are employees of the company Purple Shovel, which has been awarded a contract by U.S. Special Operations Command, at the request of U.S. Central Command, to support the Combined Joint Interagency Task Force-Syria (CJIATF-S). CJIATF-S is the organization tasked to administer the Coalition Syria Train and Equip program.</blockquote>
BuzzFeed News has learned that the man who lost his life was Francis Norwillo, a 41-year-old Navy veteran who was an expert armorer. Sources close to his family say that after leaving the Navy, where he had worked with Navy SEALs, Norwillo joined the ranks of the private military-contracting world.nonadultFrancis NorwillononadultThis spring, he was based in Texas and looking for work. Sources say he was hired by SkyBridge Tactical, a subcontractor to Purple Shovel. His job, according to friends and family members who asked that they not be named, was training. They say he told them he would be in Bulgaria for a week and a half. There, sources say, Norwillo was supposed to receive training meant to familiarize him with the rocket-propelled grenades so that he would be prepared to train American soldiers who would, in turn, train the Syrian rebels.
He was killed, according to five sources and <a href="http://sofiaglobe.com/2015/06/06/american-dies-four-injured-in-blast-at-bulgarias-vmz-sopot-ordnance-plant/">Bulgarian news accounts</a>, when he fired a grenade that was old, manufactured in 1984.
The family was told little about the cause of the accident. "All we know is a weapon went off and he got blown up," said Joe Norwillo, his father, in a phone interview from Texas. The Bulgarian government is conducting a probe, and the prosecutor's office there told BuzzFeed News that it will be completed in December.
In her statement to BuzzFeed News, Purple Shovel's lawyer wrote: "Mr. Norwillo's death was a tragic accident. All of the questions you ask here must be asked of the US Government or the subcontractor who oversaw his actions."
The SOCOM spokesperson, in an email, wrote that "we have not yet received an official report from the host government, which means we can't know with certainty what occurred at the time of the incident." Contradicting the U.S. Embassy statement, he added, "To the best of our knowledge, he was not supporting our contract when the incident took place."
U.S. authorities said there is no American investigation into Norwillo's death at this point.
SkyBridge Tactical, the subcontractor that employed Norwillo, declined to comment. The president, Stephen Rumbley, said that Norwillo's family had been upset by BuzzFeed News' calls: "If you hadn't talked to the family to upset them I would talk to you. Write your blog. Do your thing. I'm not going to talk to you."
Other companies were involved as subcontractors, according to sources and documents. Regulus Global, headquartered in Virginia, was Purple Shovel's primary procurement subcontractor. It, in turn, arranged to buy the grenades from a Bulgarian firm, Algans Ltd.
In a brief interview, Regulus Global's president, Lee Tolleson, said, "What we are doing for SOCOM is very good and very needed." He declined further comment. Algans could not be reached for comment, and the firm did not respond to an email with detailed questions.nonadultIn addition to the rocket-propelled grenades, Purple Shovel was also contracted to acquire 700 Russian-designed Konkurs missiles for the Syria mission. Those are anti-tank weapons, which are guided in flight by an attached wire, and they can hit and destroy a target at up to two and a half miles away. In theory, they could be used to blast the heavy armor that ISIS had acquired by conquering U.S.-equipped units of the Iraqi army that fled. Or they could hit the heavily armored construction vehicles that ISIS jerry-rigs to bust through fortified lines.
But there was a problem: finding them on the worldwide arms market. Bulgaria, the source for most of the weapons for the Syria operation, didn't have any. Ukraine is known to have some stored away but won't sell because it is in a shooting war with Russian-backed rebels.
A country that has plenty is Belarus. But that country, often called "Europe's last dictatorship," is usually considered off-limits for arms dealers who work with the United States. President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has ruled with an iron fist for 21 years, and he has been accused of repeatedly stealing elections and of "disappearing" political opponents. This year, a United Nations special rapporteur found that "the situation of human rights in Belarus has not improved, and that widespread disrespect for human rights, in particular civil and political rights, continues."nonadultBelarussian President Alexander Lukashenko.nonadultIronically, along with Russia, Iran, and North Korea, <a href="http://www.sipri.org/yearbook/2013/files/sipri-yearbook-2013-chapter-5-section-3">Belarus was historically a major seller of arms to the Assad regime from 2006 to 2010</a>, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, which tracks arms sales.
Belarus is on a special "<a href="http://www.pmddtc.state.gov/embargoed_countries/">International Traffic in Arms Regulations" list</a> published by the U.S. State Department, of countries with bans or special restrictions. The State Department has to license almost every deal involving US companies, and arms dealers say they are almost always prohibited from buying weapons from Belarus, because it is on that list.
Still, Purple Shovel and its subcontractors turned to Belarus for the Konkurs missiles, according to five sources and SOCOM itself. Formally, the missiles would be acquired by Purple Shovel for SOCOM from a company in Bulgaria — but that company would get them from Belarus. Asked if it knew that the 700 Konkurs missiles specifically came from Belarus, the SOCOM spokesperson answered, "Yes. USSOCOM is required to know all sources of equipment procured for use." SOCOM and the Office of the Secretary of Defense would not provide further comment on the issue. The U.S. State Department, which licenses private arms deals, also signed off on the transaction, sources say. The State Department declined to comment.
An official at the <a href="http://www.vpk.gov.by/en/">Military Industrial Committee</a> of the Republic of Belarus, which coordinates military exports, told BuzzFeed News to send questions by email, but a subsequent email received no response.
At the Purple Shovel headquarters in at an office park in Sterling, Virginia, there's a Purple Shovel logo on the mirrored front door. It shows a globe, a shovel formed from the letter "P," and the words "Around the world, Around the clock." Earlier this month, no one responded to repeated knocks on the door.nonadultnonadultU.S.-Backed Syrian Rebel Leader Kidnapped In Syriahttps://www.buzzfeed.com/mikegiglio/us-backed-syrian-rebel-leader-kidnapped-in-syria?utm_term=4ldqpia

Fighters from Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate Al-Nusra Front drive in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo

Fadi Al-halabi / AFP / Getty Images

ISTANBUL — An official with a U.S.-backed rebel battalion in Syria has confirmed to BuzzFeed News that the group's top commander was kidnapped while inside the country.

The official, who goes by the nickname Abu Zaid, blamed Jabhat al-Nusra — the Syrian affiliate of al-Qaeda — for the abduction, saying the commander was targeted because of his U.S. ties.

The abducted commander — Col. Nadim al-Hassan — heads a battalion called Division 30, whose fighters have reportedly been part of a Pentagon program to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels. "Jabhat al-Nusra arrested him because they are against the U.S. program," Abu Zaid said.

He added that Hassan's assistant and a handful of Division 30 soldiers were abducted as well.

The beleaguered Pentagon program had, as of early July, reportedly trained just over 50 rebels as part of a program announced by the Obama administration more than a year ago to help fight ISIS.

Critics of the program say it demonstrates the shortcomings of U.S. policy in Syria, which has relied on airstrikes to fight ISIS but has few allies to coordinate with on the ground.

In fact, several rebel groups that have received U.S. support in the past were wiped out by Nusra and its allies after the U.S. began a bombing campaign in Syria last fall that targeted ISIS and Nusra alike. Relatively weak U.S.-backed groups have since had a target on their back.

That appears to be the case with the Pentagon program as well. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K.-based activist group that monitors the conflict, said that Hassan had been abducted shortly after crossing into Syria from Turkey, where the U.S. training efforts are based.

The U.S. announced a new plan earlier this week to work with Turkey to clear ISIS from a 65-mile stretch of the border, stretching some 25 miles deep into Syrian territory. The officials said the plan would rely on airstrikes plus moderate rebels on the ground — but with America's rebel allies currently outmatched against their better-armed and -funded extremist enemies, it is unclear who will make up that ground force.

Jabhat al-Nusra has not claimed responsibility for the attack. U.S. officials did not immediately return requests for comment.

]]>Mike Gigliohttps://www.buzzfeed.com/mikegiglio/us-backed-syrian-rebel-leader-kidnapped-in-syriaThu, 30 Jul 2015 13:58:14 -0400The commander, Col. Nadim al-Hassan, was most likely captured inside Syria by an Al-Qaeda affiliate, an official with the group tells BuzzFeed News.mikegigliononadult
<p><img src="https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2015-07/30/12/enhanced/webdr08/enhanced-mid-10530-1438274239-1.jpg" width="720" height="489" alt="" /></p>
<p>Fighters from Al-Qaeda&#39;s Syrian affiliate Al-Nusra Front drive in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo</p>
<p><small>Fadi Al-halabi / AFP / Getty Images</small></p>
<p>ISTANBUL &mdash; An official with a U.S.-backed rebel battalion in Syria has confirmed to BuzzFeed News that the group&#39;s top commander was kidnapped while inside the country.</p><p>The official, who goes by the nickname Abu Zaid, blamed Jabhat al-Nusra &mdash; the Syrian affiliate of al-Qaeda &mdash; for the abduction, saying the commander was targeted because of his U.S. ties.</p><p>The abducted commander &mdash; Col. Nadim al-Hassan &mdash; heads a battalion called Division 30, whose fighters have reportedly been part of a Pentagon program to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels. "Jabhat al-Nusra arrested him because they are against the U.S. program," Abu Zaid said.</p><p>He added that Hassan&#39;s assistant and a handful of Division 30 soldiers were abducted as well.</p><p>The beleaguered Pentagon program had, as of early July, reportedly trained <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/07/politics/united-states-training-syrian-rebels-ashton-carter/">just over 50 rebels</a> as part of a program announced by the Obama administration more than a year ago to help fight ISIS.</p><p>Critics of the program say it demonstrates the shortcomings of U.S. policy in Syria, which has relied on airstrikes to fight ISIS but has few allies to coordinate with on the ground.</p><p>In fact, several rebel groups that have received U.S. support in the past were wiped out by Nusra and its allies after the U.S. began a bombing campaign in Syria last fall that targeted ISIS and Nusra alike. Relatively weak U.S.-backed groups have since <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/02/us-syria-policy-tatters-moderate-rebels-disband">had a target</a> on their back.</p><p>That appears to be the case with the Pentagon program as well. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K.-based activist group that monitors the conflict, said that Hassan <a href="http://www.thenational.ae/world/middle-east/al-qaeda-kidnaps-moderate-syrian-rebels-trained-by-us">had been abducted</a> shortly after crossing into Syria from Turkey, where the U.S. training efforts are based.</p><p>The U.S. announced a new plan earlier this week to work with Turkey to clear ISIS from a <a href="http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/world/article28923466.html">65-mile stretch of the border</a>, stretching some 25 miles deep into Syrian territory. The officials said the plan would rely on airstrikes plus moderate rebels on the ground &mdash; but with America&#39;s rebel allies currently outmatched against their better-armed and -funded extremist enemies, it is unclear who will make up that ground force.</p><p>Jabhat al-Nusra has not claimed responsibility for the attack. U.S. officials did not immediately return requests for comment.</p>
<p><small></small></p>
nonadultThis Is The Rebellious Food Sydney Fed Its TEDx Speakershttps://www.buzzfeed.com/gyanyankovich/sydney-literally-fed-its-tedx-speakers-bugs?utm_term=4ldqpia
Let’s talk about #rebelfood.

According to Jess, there are literally millions of things people can eat. This doesn't, however, mean we're accustomed to eating them all. The aim of this rebel food program was to change that - at least temporarily.

When it came to meats, Jess and her team of chefs looked outside the box, relying on cuts of meat that aren't regularly seen.

]]>Gyan Yankovichhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/gyanyankovich/sydney-literally-fed-its-tedx-speakers-bugsFri, 22 May 2015 04:08:37 -0400<b>Let's talk about #rebelfood.</b>gyanyankovichnonadult"The over-arching concept for the TEDx menu this year was 'rebel food'. These are the forgotten, the unloved, the ugly and the awkward foods; they're the ones we don’t usually see on supermarket shelves or in cookbooks," Food Curator Jess Miller told BuzzFeed Life.
While this menu partly contained "normal" ingredients that were just a little ~different~, like eggs from mature chicken and irregular-shaped vegetables, other dishes were a little more obscure.nonadultnonadultnonadultAnd that, children, is how these feral goat meat pies came into being.nonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultActivists: Islamist Rebels Seize Syrian City Of Idlibhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/maryanngeorgantopoulos/islamist-rebels-take-over-idlib-in-syria?utm_term=4ldqpia
Images on social media purport to show Nusra Front rebels celebrating Idlib’s capture from regime forces.

The strategically important city is close to a highway that links Damascus to the commercial capital Aleppo, and is also close to the coastal region of Latakia.

With a population of 100,000, Idlib has been the center of intense fighting between the government and the opposition groups for months. The broader Idlib province is also said to be controlled by Islamist insurgents. It is the second province to fall under rebel control after Raqqa was seized by ISIS figthers and subsequently targeted by U.S.-led airstrikes.

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday told the Arab League summit in Egypt that he was angered and shamed by the failure to halt the Syrian civil war.

]]>Mary Ann Georgantopouloshttps://www.buzzfeed.com/maryanngeorgantopoulos/islamist-rebels-take-over-idlib-in-syriaSat, 28 Mar 2015 14:34:50 -0400<b>Images on social media purport to show Nusra Front rebels celebrating Idlib's capture from regime forces.</b>maryanngeorgantopoulosnonadultnonadultIslamist rebels seized the city of Idlib from government forces on Saturday, according to the <a href="http://syriahr.com/en/2015/03/idlib-province-is-out-of-regimes-control/">Syrian Observatory for Human Rights</a> monitoring group.
The Ahrar al-Sham, Jund al-Aqsa, and Nusra Front rebel groups captured the northwestern city of Syria after four days of violent clashes, the British-based organization said.
Photos and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5L5KEnABAQ">videos</a> shared on social media purported to show rebels climbing the statue of the late Syrian president Hafez al-Assad and defacing it, while others destroy the Syrian flag.nonadultnonadultThe strategically important city is close to a highway that links Damascus to the commercial capital Aleppo, and is also close to the coastal region of Latakia.
With a population of 100,000, Idlib has been the center of intense fighting between the government and the opposition groups for months. The broader Idlib province is also said to be controlled by Islamist insurgents. It is the second province to fall under rebel control after Raqqa was seized by ISIS figthers and subsequently targeted by U.S.-led airstrikes.
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday <a href="http://www.un.org/sg/statements/">told the Arab League summit</a> in Egypt that he was angered and shamed by the failure to halt the Syrian civil war.
"Anger at observing the Syrian government, extremist and terrorist groups and terrorists relentlessly destroy their country," Ban said.
"Shame at sharing in the collective failure of international and regional communities to decisively act to stop the carnage that has afflicted the Arab brothers and sisters of Syria."
Ban promised to intensify diplomatic efforts to stop the clashes.nonadultnonadultIran Says Saudi Airstrikes In Yemen Are "A Dangerous Step"https://www.buzzfeed.com/tamerragriffin/president-of-yemen-flees-the-palace-amid-rebel-protests?utm_term=4ldqpia
Yemen’s President Abdu Rabu Mansur Hadi, who abandoned his home in Aden earlier this week, arrived in Saudi Arabia’s capital Thursday. Saudi Arabia has since launched a military campaign inside the Yemen.

Hadi fled after an opposition group put out a $100,000 bounty for his capture. He also asked the United Nations Security Council to intervene and "deter the Huthi aggression."

The Yemeni president fled before Saudi Arabia began military operations in the country Wednesday.

His whereabouts had remained unknown until Thursday.

According to Saudi Arabia Embassy, Hadi was received at the Riyadh Airbase by the country's minister of defense, the president of the royal court, and the chief of general intelligence.

Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the United States Adel Al-Jubeir speaks during a news conference at the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington on Wednesday.

Carolyn Kaster / AP

Stability in the country has teetered toward chaos as Yemen President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi fled the country Wednesday and Huthis seized control of a military base used by the U.S. for drone strikes.

President Obama also authorized "logistical and intelligence support" to Saudi Arabia and other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council leading the military action, according to a statement released by the U.S. National Security Council.

Reuters, citing residents, reported that warplanes were bombing the airport of the Yemeni capital Sanaa.

On Wednesday evening, the Saudi Ambassador told the Associated Press that to have Yemen fail "is not an option for us."

U.S. forces were not taking direct military action in the country, according to the statement released by NSC spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan.

]]>Tamerra Griffinhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/tamerragriffin/president-of-yemen-flees-the-palace-amid-rebel-protestsWed, 25 Mar 2015 13:00:29 -0400<b>Yemen's President Abdu Rabu Mansur Hadi, who abandoned his home in Aden earlier this week, arrived in Saudi Arabia's capital Thursday.</b> Saudi Arabia has since launched a military campaign inside the Yemen.tamerragriffinnonadultHadi fled after an opposition group put out a $100,000 bounty for his capture. He also asked the United Nations Security Council to intervene and "deter the Huthi aggression."
The Yemeni president fled before Saudi Arabia began military operations in the country Wednesday.
His whereabouts had remained unknown until Thursday.
<a href="http://www.saudiembassy.net/latest_news/news03261501.aspx">According to Saudi Arabia Embassy</a>, Hadi was received at the Riyadh Airbase by the country's minister of defense, the president of the royal court, and the chief of general intelligence.nonadultIran's Foreign Ministry has branded Saudi Arabia's airstrikes in Yemen as a "dangerous step," <a href="http://bigstory.ap.org/article/3291632f34f140e9877b3566028da54a/saudi-airstrikes-targeting-rebel-military-bases-yemen">the AP reported.</a>
On Thursday morning, the ministry said that the move amounted to an "invasion" which would worsen the crisis in the country.
The United Kingdom, meanwhile, is fully backing the operation. "We support the Saudi Arabian military intervention in Yemen following President Hadi's request for support by 'all means and measures to protect Yemen and deter Houthi aggression,'" a statement from the Foreign Office read. "As the UN Security Council has made clear, President Hadi is Yemen's legitimate President.”
On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia said they had started a military campaign in the crisis-hit country. BuzzFeed News' report follows below.nonadultSaudi Arabian Ambassador to the United States Adel Al-Jubeir speaks during a news conference at the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington on Wednesday.nonadultStability in the country has teetered toward chaos as Yemen President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi fled the country Wednesday and Huthis seized control of a military base used by the U.S. for drone strikes.
President Obama also authorized "logistical and intelligence support" to Saudi Arabia and other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council leading the military action, according to a statement released by the U.S. National Security Council.
Reuters, citing residents, reported that warplanes were bombing the airport of the Yemeni capital Sanaa.
On Wednesday evening, the Saudi Ambassador told the Associated Press that to have Yemen fail "is not an option for us."
U.S. forces were not taking direct military action in the country, according to the statement released by NSC spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan.nonadultnonadultA statement published by the Saudi Press Agency listed Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain as being among the countries that answered Hadi's request to "protect Yemen and his dear people from the aggression of the Houthi militias."
Al-Jubeir told reporters the military action began at 7 p.m. ET.
He also said American officials were consulted about the military action, thought he declined to say whether U.S. intelligence agencies were involved.
According to the Associated Press, Houthis sent a statement to reporters announcing that Saudi jets were attacking the military base al-Duleimi in the capital of Sanaa, and that they responded with anti-aircraft missiles.
An Associated Press correspondent who lives in the area reported loud explosions in the city.nonadultPeople flee after a gunfire on a street in the southern port city of Aden, Yemen, on Wednesday.nonadultThe statement offered support for Saudi Arabia's action, and said the U.S. was establishing a "Joint Planning Cell" with Saudi Arabia to coordinate military and intelligence support.
The NSC statement said officials had been in close contact with Yemeni President Hadi and other regional partners.nonadultPresident Hadi, then vice president of Yemen, attends an inauguration ceremony for his presidential election campaign, in Sanaa, Yemen, on Feb. 7, 2012.nonadultnonadultThe Huthis also said in the TV segment that they had moved into a Yemeni air base located roughly 60 kilometers from Aden, the same military base where troops from the U.S. and Europe had previously assisted the country in its fight against al-Qaeda.
On Tuesday, President Hadi wrote a letter to the United Nations Security Council asking them to approve a military intervention "to protect Yemen and to deter the Huthi aggression" in the southern region of the country, according the to AP.nonadultnonadultPolitical strife in Yemen culminated in January with the <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/gregorydjohnsen/the-end-of-yemen#.vs25xbB65">resignation of President Hadi</a>, who rescinded his decision the following month. Since then, tensions have continued to escalate.
On March 20, <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/franciswhittaker/two-mosques-bombed-in-sanaa-yemen#.atYKlokZK">suicide bombers attacked two mosques</a> in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, killing 126 people. President Hadi has also announced that he has survived as many as four recent assassination attempts.
The increasing frequency of violence has prompted many to believe that Yemen may be <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/gregorydjohnsen/yemen-may-be-past-the-point-of-peaceful-return#.vqVMZmlrM">past the point of peaceful return</a>.
Adding to the chaos, U.S. intelligence officials believe secret files once held by fleeing Yemeni forces were looted by Iranian-backed Huthi militia leaders, exposing the identities of informants and counter-terrorism operations.
Citing confidential sources, the <i>Los Angeles Times</i> on Wednesday <a href="http://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-us-intelligence-yemen-20150325-story.html#page=1">reported</a> that U.S. officials also believe additional files were handed directly to Iranian advisors by Yemeni officials who have sided with the Huthi militia, dealing a huge blow to American intelligence networks in Yemen.nonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultActivists: Syrian Military Helicopter Crashes, Crew Captured By Rebelshttps://www.buzzfeed.com/davidmack/syrian-military-helicopter-crash?utm_term=4ldqpia
The helicopter came down in a rebel-held area in Syria’s northwest, according to a monitoring group.

A Syrian regime helicopter crashed in a rebel-held area of the country's northwest on Sunday, with rebels capturing the downed aircraft and its crew, according to a monitoring group.

]]>David Mackhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/davidmack/syrian-military-helicopter-crashSun, 22 Mar 2015 13:21:02 -0400<b>The helicopter came down in a rebel-held area in Syria's northwest, according to a monitoring group.</b>davidmacknonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultOther tweets showed images of a bloodied man wearing military fatigues being carried away, while another man was shown in the back of a vehicle.
Video shared online purported to show the interrogation of the helicopter's pilot, while tweets also showed images of military ID cards said to be from the chopper crew.nonadultnonadultAccording to <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/22/us-mideast-crisis-idUSKBN0MI0K520150322?feedType=RSS&amp;feedName=worldNews">Reuters</a>, Syrian state television disputed rebel claims the helicopter had been shot down, instead saying the helicopter had been forced to make an emergency landing due to a technical problem.nonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultCease-Fire Takes Hold In Ukraine — After Last Minute Jockeying For Territoryhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/maxseddon/fighting-in-ukraine-intensifies-as-midnight-ceasefire-approa?utm_term=4ldqpia
Kiev accused rebels of trying to seize as much territory as possible before both sides are due to halt fighting.

Ukrainian government soldiers ride on a vehicle on the road between the towns of Dabeltseve and Artemivsk, Ukraine, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2015.

AP / Petr David Josek

DONETSK, Ukraine — The near-constant barrage of artillery fire that has plagued this eastern rebel stronghold for months fell almost silent early Sunday morning after both sides issued orders to cease fire.

It wasn't immediately clear whether government forces or the Russian-backed rebels who run unrecognized separatist states in parts of the country's two easternmost provinces were observing the deal, hammered out on Thursday after marathon negotiations in Minsk, the Belarusian capital. Occasional artillery fire could still be heard in Donetsk, though it was considerably sparser than the loud shelling heard throughout Saturday in the run-up to the midnight deadline.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, chairing a general staff meeting broadcast live on television, said that Ukraine would not hesitate to fight back if the rebels violated the ceasefire. "If we are slapped on one cheek, we will not turn the other," he said. The self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics also issued statements ordering troops to cease fire. Rebels in Luhansk said they would not return fire even if provoked because "the people of the Luhansk People's Republic have grown tired of war."

Intense fighting had raged at several flashpoints since the ceasefire was agreed. Shells landed in downtown Donetsk for the first time in the entire conflict on Saturday afternoon, killing three and injuring a further 12. A BuzzFeed News photographer witnessed constant artillery barrages as rebels jockeyed for position near the key town of Debaltseve. The government-held town of Artemivsk was also hit by shelling, though there were no casualties, Reuters reported.

The uptick in violence led both sides to cast doubt on whether the ceasefire would even take effect at all. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko threatened to introduce martial law in all of Ukraine if the violence did not stop. Alexander Zakharchenko, leader of the Donetsk People's Republic, told reporters that he had no intention of honoring several points in the memorandum he signed in Minsk.

Ukrainian officials said that rebels, aided by the Russian regular army, were heavily bombarding the strategically important railway junction of Debaltseve. The town, located in a pocket between the two rebel republics, has become a major point of contention in recent weeks as Ukrainian soldiers attempt to stop Russian-backed rebels from encircling it.

]]>Max Seddonhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/maxseddon/fighting-in-ukraine-intensifies-as-midnight-ceasefire-approaSat, 14 Feb 2015 11:38:28 -0500<b>Kiev accused rebels of trying to seize as much territory as possible before both sides are due to halt fighting.</b>maxseddonnonadultUkrainian government soldiers ride on a vehicle on the road between the towns of Dabeltseve and Artemivsk, Ukraine, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2015.nonadultDONETSK, Ukraine — The near-constant barrage of artillery fire that has plagued this eastern rebel stronghold for months fell almost silent early Sunday morning after both sides issued orders to cease fire.
It wasn't immediately clear whether government forces or the Russian-backed rebels who run unrecognized separatist states in parts of the country's two easternmost provinces were observing the deal, hammered out on Thursday after marathon negotiations in Minsk, the Belarusian capital. Occasional artillery fire could still be heard in Donetsk, though it was considerably sparser than the loud shelling heard throughout Saturday in the run-up to the midnight deadline.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, chairing a general staff meeting broadcast live on television, said that Ukraine would not hesitate to fight back if the rebels violated the ceasefire. "If we are slapped on one cheek, we will not turn the other," he said. The self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics also issued statements <a href="http://dan-news.info/defence/otryady-opolcheniya-v-techenie-dnya-vytesnili-protivnika-iz-promyshlennoj-zony-i-zheleznodorozhnogo-uzla-debalcevo-basurin.html">ordering troops to cease fire</a>. Rebels in Luhansk said they would <a href="http://lnr-portal.su/lnr/novosti-respubliki/1171-zayavlenie-zamestitelya-nachalnika-shtaba-narodnoj-militsii-lnr-igor-yashchenko">not return fire</a> even if provoked because "the people of the Luhansk People's Republic have grown tired of war."
Intense fighting had raged at several flashpoints since the ceasefire was agreed. Shells landed in downtown Donetsk for the first time in the entire conflict on Saturday afternoon, killing three and injuring a further 12. A BuzzFeed News photographer witnessed constant artillery barrages as rebels jockeyed for position near the key town of Debaltseve. The government-held town of Artemivsk was also hit by shelling, though there were no casualties, Reuters <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/14/us-ukraine-crisis-idUSKBN0LH14T20150214">reported</a>.
The uptick in violence led both sides to cast doubt on whether the ceasefire would even take effect at all. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko threatened to introduce martial law in all of Ukraine if the violence did not stop. Alexander Zakharchenko, leader of the Donetsk People's Republic, told reporters that he had no intention of honoring several points in the memorandum he signed in Minsk.
Ukrainian officials said that rebels, aided by the Russian regular army, were heavily bombarding the strategically important railway junction of Debaltseve. The town, located in a pocket between the two rebel republics, has become a major point of contention in recent weeks as Ukrainian soldiers attempt to stop Russian-backed rebels from encircling it.nonadult<blockquote class="tweet"><img src="http://pbs.twimg.com/media/B9ydHVpIEAAAvAl.jpg"><a><img src="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/451261575186219008/URRV30kZ_normal.jpeg">Geoffrey Pyatt@GeoffPyatt</a><a>Follow</a><p class="tweet_text entry-title">1/3 Debaltseve. We are confident these are Russian military, not separatist, systems</p><a>10:33 AM - 14 Feb 15</a><a>Reply</a><a>Retweet</a><a>Favorite</a></blockquote>nonadult<blockquote class="tweet"><img src="http://pbs.twimg.com/media/B9yTg-DCEAA7_vY.jpg"><a><img src="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/451261575186219008/URRV30kZ_normal.jpeg">Geoffrey Pyatt@GeoffPyatt</a><a>Follow</a><p class="tweet_text entry-title">2/3 Russian military also has air defense systems deployed near Debaltseve.</p><a>1:51 AM - 14 Feb 15</a><a>Reply</a><a>Retweet</a><a>Favorite</a></blockquote>nonadult<blockquote class="tweet"><img src="http://pbs.twimg.com/media/B9yUNw3CYAAq80L.jpg"><a><img src="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/451261575186219008/URRV30kZ_normal.jpeg">Geoffrey Pyatt@GeoffPyatt</a><a>Follow</a><p class="tweet_text entry-title">3/3 Russian units along the border are preparing a large shipment of supplies to "seps" fighting in eastern Ukraine</p><a>9:54 AM - 14 Feb 15</a><a>Reply</a><a>Retweet</a><a>Favorite</a></blockquote>nonadultPoroshenko denied rebels' claims to have surrounded it and said Ukraine could supply the several thousand troops there enough to defend it.
Earlier on Saturday, Poroshenko spoke with U.S. President Barack Obama, who expressed "deep concern about the ongoing violence, particularly in and around Debaltseve," the White House said. Poroshenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin both also spoke with the leaders of Germany and France, who brokered the Minsk talks, and agreed to continue discussions in the coming days.nonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultNearly 50 Soldiers Die In Clashes With Rebels In Myanmarhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/maryanngeorgantopoulos/nearly-50-soldiers-die-in-clashes-with-rebels-in-myanmar?utm_term=4ldqpia
Up to 10,000 people are reportedly fleeing the area to escape the violence.

KC ORTIZ/AFP / Getty Images

Nearly 50 soldiers have been killed in Myanmar in what is being described as the heaviest fighting in the last two years between government troops and Kokang ethnic rebels.

Helicopters and jets have been used in the airstrikes in Shan state, near the Chinese border, BBC reported. Local media is reporting at least 13 clashes in the area in the past week where at least 47 soldiers were killed and more than 70 injured. The violence comes as President Thein Sein is trying to sign a peace deal with rebel groups.

According to local media reports, up to 10,000 people are fleeing the area to escape the violence.

Myanmar's government wants a cease-fire agreement with all rebel groups, according to Reuters. The government, which took power after 49 years of military rule, has come to an agreement with almost all rebel factions.

"We hope that all sides in Myanmar can work hard with China to quieten down the situation and return the border as soon as possible to peace and tranquility so these border people can go home," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said in a daily news briefing.

]]>Mary Ann Georgantopouloshttps://www.buzzfeed.com/maryanngeorgantopoulos/nearly-50-soldiers-die-in-clashes-with-rebels-in-myanmarFri, 13 Feb 2015 12:20:07 -0500<b>Up to 10,000 people are reportedly fleeing the area to escape the violence.</b>maryanngeorgantopoulosnonadultnonadultNearly 50 soldiers have been killed in Myanmar in what is being described as the heaviest fighting in the last two years between government troops and Kokang ethnic rebels.
Helicopters and jets have been used in the airstrikes in Shan state, near the Chinese border, <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-31450420?utm_source=Sailthru&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=*Morning%20Brief&amp;utm_campaign=2014_MorningBrief.2.13.15">BBC</a> reported. Local media is reporting at least 13 clashes in the area in the past week where at least 47 soldiers were killed and more than 70 injured. The violence comes as President Thein Sein is trying to sign a peace deal with rebel groups.
According to local media reports, up to 10,000 people are fleeing the area to escape the violence.
Myanmar's government wants a cease-fire agreement with all rebel groups, according to <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/13/us-myanmar-fighting-idUSKBN0LH0JU20150213">Reuters</a>. The government, which took power after 49 years of military rule, has come to an agreement with almost all rebel factions.
"We hope that all sides in Myanmar can work hard with China to quieten down the situation and return the border as soon as possible to peace and tranquility so these border people can go home," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said in a daily news briefing.nonadultViolence Rages In Ukraine As Peace Talks Quickly Fall Aparthttps://www.buzzfeed.com/jimdalrympleii/violence-rages-in-ukraine-as-peace-talks-quickly-fall-apart?utm_term=4ldqpia
Talks between Ukraine and separatists lasted a mere four hours Saturday.

A tank the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk.

AFP / Getty Images DOMINIQUE FAGET

The talks — held in Minsk, Belarus — were intended to move both sides toward a cease-fire, but fell apart after four hours without any actual progress, Reuters reported. Ultimately, both sides accused each other of sabotaging the meeting.

Former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, center, leaves the talks Saturday.

AP Sergei Grits

Violence between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists erupted last March and over the ensuing months has claimed more than 5,000 lives.

A cease-fire began in September, but violence again escalated sharply this month as rocket fire rained down on the eastern city of Mariupol. At least 30 people died in the assault, which international leaders blamed on the separatist rebels.

Saturday's peace talks had raised hopes that a new cease-fire might halt the violence, Reuters reported. Before the talks fell apart, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President François Hollande, and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke in a conference call about their hopes for a cease-fire.

]]>Jim Dalrymple IIhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/jimdalrympleii/violence-rages-in-ukraine-as-peace-talks-quickly-fall-apartSun, 01 Feb 2015 02:20:36 -0500<b>Talks between Ukraine and separatists lasted a mere four hours Saturday.</b>jimdalrympleiinonadultA tank the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk.nonadultThe talks — held in Minsk, Belarus — were intended to move both sides toward a cease-fire, but fell apart after four hours without any actual progress, Reuters <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/31/us-ukraine-crisis-casualties-idUSKBN0L409K20150131">reported</a>. Ultimately, both sides accused each other of sabotaging the meeting.nonadultFormer Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, center, leaves the talks Saturday.nonadultViolence between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/miriamberger/a-35-step-guide-to-understanding-why-russia-decided-to-follo#.xlkyk5rap">erupted last March</a> and over the ensuing months <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/more-5-000-killed-ukraine-since-april-toll-104233431.html">has claimed</a> more than 5,000 lives.
A <a href="https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&amp;ion=1&amp;espv=2&amp;ie=UTF-8#q=ceasefire%20ukraine%20buzzfeed">cease-fire began</a> in September, but violence again <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/maxseddon/the-war-in-ukraine-is-back-on#.ofJnJWDbG">escalated sharply this month</a> as rocket fire rained down on the eastern city of Mariupol. At least 30 people died in the assault, which international leaders blamed on the separatist rebels.
Saturday's peace talks had raised hopes that a new cease-fire might halt the violence, Reuters reported. Before the talks fell apart, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President François Hollande, and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke in a conference call about their hopes for a cease-fire.
Instead, heavy shelling continued Saturday in eastern Ukraine as separatists advanced toward Debaltseve, a strategically important transportation hub.nonadultnonadultnonadultKiev: Rebels Launch Fresh Attacks In Ukrainian City Of Mariupolhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/davidmack/kiev-rebels-launch-fresh-attacks-in-mariupol?utm_term=4ldqpia
Four government servicemen were killed in the last 24 hours of fighting in the city, according to Ukraine’s military.

Local residents look at a burned car outside an apartment building in the Vostochniy district of Mariupol on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2015.

AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka

Pro-Russian separatists carried out fresh attacks on Ukrainian military positions in the city of Mariupol on Sunday, according to Kiev's army, amid a recent resurgence in fighting in the country that has shattered a tenuous cease-fire.

Rebels continued their assault on the southeastern port city, where separatist rocket fire killed more than 30 people on Saturday, according to Kiev.

Ukrainian military spokesman Andriy Lysenko said the fighting continued into Sunday, with rebels targeting other areas in the city, which has become a new front line in the conflict.

Four servicemen were killed in the past 24 hours of fighting, Lysenko said, while 17 others were injured.

People remove debris near a building damaged by shelling on Saturday in Mariupol on Jan. 25, 2015.

REUTERS/Nikolai Ryabchenko

Mariupol has been the target of indiscriminate rocket fire, according to Kiev authorities, with blasts from long-range GRAD missile systems striking schools, homes, and a market. At least two children were among the dead.

]]>David Mackhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/davidmack/kiev-rebels-launch-fresh-attacks-in-mariupolSun, 25 Jan 2015 12:26:27 -0500<b>Four government servicemen were killed in the last 24 hours of fighting in the city, according to Ukraine's military.</b>davidmacknonadultLocal residents look at a burned car outside an apartment building in the Vostochniy district of Mariupol on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2015.nonadultPro-Russian separatists carried out fresh attacks on Ukrainian military positions in the city of Mariupol on Sunday, according to Kiev's army, amid a recent resurgence in fighting in the country that has shattered a tenuous cease-fire.
Rebels continued their assault on the southeastern port city, where separatist rocket fire killed more than 30 people on Saturday, according to Kiev.
Ukrainian military spokesman Andriy Lysenko said the fighting continued into Sunday, with rebels targeting other areas in the city, which has become a new front line in the conflict.
"Rebels are attacking the positions of anti-terrorist operation troops extremely intensively, using artillery, mortars, grenade launchers, tanks," Lysenko said in televised comments translated by <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/25/us-ukraine-crisis-idUSKBN0KY0PF20150125?feedType=RSS&amp;feedName=worldNews">Reuters</a>.
Four servicemen were killed in the past 24 hours of fighting, Lysenko said, while 17 others were injured.nonadultPeople remove debris near a building damaged by shelling on Saturday in Mariupol on Jan. 25, 2015.nonadultMariupol has been the target of indiscriminate rocket fire, according to Kiev authorities, with blasts from long-range GRAD missile systems striking schools, homes, and a market. At least two children were among the dead.
Independent observers with the <a href="http://www.osce.org/ukraine-smm/136061">Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe</a> said the shelling originated from rebel-held areas of the city.
Also targeted was Debaltseve, a town of around 26,000 people north of Mariupol in the breakaway Donetsk region.
"Because of constant shelling in the past few days, there are dead and injured among local residents," Lysenko said. "Around 60 homes have been destroyed or damaged."nonadultA man walks by a burned car and a piece of exploded GRAD missile outside an apartment building in Vostochniy district of Mariupol on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2015.nonadultThe fighting in recent days has shattered a tentative five-month period of peace that had lasted since a cease-fire agreement was reached in September in Minsk, Belarus.
The United Nations has estimated that more than 260 people have been killed in fighting in the country since Jan. 13. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on Saturday condemned the latest fighting in Mariupol, noting that the indiscriminate launching of rockets into civilian areas would amount to a violation of international law.
"The Secretary-General urges all concerned to redouble their efforts to revive the Minsk accords," a U.N. statement read. "Ukraine's peace, territorial integrity and stability, intrinsically linked to that of the broader region, must be urgently restored."
President Barack Obama has also said he is <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/davidmack/obama-latest-ukraine-violence#.apaaV7BjL">"deeply concerned"</a> at the recent increase in fighting.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Sunday pointed to intercepted radio and telephone conversations between rebels as evidence that the separatists were behind the bloodshed in Mariupol, the BBC <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-30974283">reported</a>. The conversations have not been independently verified by BuzzFeed News.
However, speaking after an emergency meeting on the conflict, Poroshenko vowed to de-escalate the fighting in the region, affirming his ongoing commitment to the Minsk agreement.nonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultObama "Deeply Concerned" About New Conflict In Ukrainehttps://www.buzzfeed.com/davidmack/obama-latest-ukraine-violence?utm_term=4ldqpia
The president is again pointing the finger of blame at Moscow for the latest breakdown in the cease-fire between Ukraine’s government and Russian-backed rebels.

U.S. President Barack Obama inspects a Guard of Honor during a ceremonial reception at the Indian Presidential Palace in New Delhi, India, on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2015.

AP Photo/Press Trust of India)

The United States is "deeply concerned" about the recent renewal in hostilities in eastern Ukraine and blames the fresh violence on Russian-backed rebels, President Barack Obama told reporters Sunday.

More than 30 people were killed on Saturday in the vital southeastern port city of Mariupol amid rocket fire that independent European observers said originated from separatist-held territory in the city's east.

"We are deeply concerned about the latest break in the cease-fire and the aggression that these separatists — with Russian backing, Russian equipment, Russian financing, Russian training, and Russian troops — are conducting," Obama said.

Speaking at a news conference alongside Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, where Obama is participating in a state visit, the U.S. president promised to continue to "ratchet up the pressure on Russia."

"I will look at all additional options that are available to us short of a military confrontation in trying to address this issue," Obama said.

U.S. President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Jan. 25, 2015.

Adnan Abidi / Reuters

The president praised the "unity across the Atlantic" shown between the U.S. and the European Union in isolating Russia diplomatically and financially through a series of increasing sanctions that have crippled the country's economy at a time of plummeting oil prices.

Obama said that if Russian President Vladimir Putin remains "hell-bent on engaging in military conflicts" in Ukraine it will only mean more pain for the Russian people.

"The question is going to be whether they continue to pursue a path where that not only is bad for the people of Ukraine but is bad for the people of Russia," he said, "and are we able to continue to raise the costs even as we're creating an off-ramp diplomatically that eventually the Kremlin starts pursuing a more sensible policy in resolving this issue.

"We have a profound interest, as I believe every country does, in promoting a core principle, which is, large countries don't bully smaller countries."

]]>David Mackhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/davidmack/obama-latest-ukraine-violenceSun, 25 Jan 2015 10:44:28 -0500<b>The president is again pointing the finger of blame at Moscow for the latest breakdown in the cease-fire between Ukraine's government and Russian-backed rebels.</b>davidmacknonadultU.S. President Barack Obama inspects a Guard of Honor during a ceremonial reception at the Indian Presidential Palace in New Delhi, India, on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2015.nonadultThe United States is "deeply concerned" about the recent renewal in hostilities in eastern Ukraine and blames the fresh violence on Russian-backed rebels, President Barack Obama told reporters Sunday.
More than 30 people were <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/maxseddon/the-war-in-ukraine-is-back-on#.umvEAvBdp">killed on Saturday</a> in the vital southeastern port city of Mariupol amid rocket fire that independent European observers said originated from separatist-held territory in the city's east.
"We are deeply concerned about the latest break in the cease-fire and the aggression that these separatists — with Russian backing, Russian equipment, Russian financing, Russian training, and Russian troops — are conducting," Obama said.
Speaking at a news conference alongside Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, where Obama is participating in a state visit, the U.S. president promised to continue to "ratchet up the pressure on Russia."
"I will look at all additional options that are available to us short of a military confrontation in trying to address this issue," Obama said.nonadultU.S. President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Jan. 25, 2015.nonadultThe president praised the "unity across the Atlantic" shown between the U.S. and the European Union in isolating Russia diplomatically and financially through a series of increasing sanctions that have crippled the country's economy at a time of plummeting oil prices.
Obama said that if Russian President Vladimir Putin remains "hell-bent on engaging in military conflicts" in Ukraine it will only mean more pain for the Russian people.
"The question is going to be whether they continue to pursue a path where that not only is bad for the people of Ukraine but is bad for the people of Russia," he said, "and are we able to continue to raise the costs even as we're creating an off-ramp diplomatically that eventually the Kremlin starts pursuing a more sensible policy in resolving this issue.
"We have a profound interest, as I believe every country does, in promoting a core principle, which is, large countries don't bully smaller countries."nonadultnonadultObama's comments came after Russia signaled its "readiness" to work towards a peaceful solution in Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held a telephone call with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday, according to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry reported by <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/25/us-ukraine-crisis-russia-lavrov-idUSKBN0KY0LC20150125?feedType=RSS&amp;feedName=worldNews">Reuters</a>.
"Lavrov highlighted Russia's readiness to do everything in its power to encourage parties towards a peaceful solution," the statement said.
However, the statement also accused Kiev of avoiding negotiating with the breakaway separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in favor of "military suppression."
"Any real results can only be achieved through direct dialogue between Donetsk and Luhansk, which Kiev is avoiding by all means, clearly having set a course for military suppression of southeast Ukraine," the statement read.
According to Russia's Foreign Ministry, Kerry promised to include more international players in the search for a peaceful resolution.nonadultnonadultnonadultThis Is What War In Ukraine Looks Likehttps://www.buzzfeed.com/jimdalrympleii/this-is-what-war-in-ukraine-looks-like?utm_term=4ldqpia
Pro-Russian rebels unleashed a barrage of rocket fire against the eastern Ukrainian city of Mariupol Saturday. The rockets killed at least 30 civilians.

AP Sergey Vaganov

People stand next to the body of a victim killed in Mariupol Saturday.

]]>Jim Dalrymple IIhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/jimdalrympleii/this-is-what-war-in-ukraine-looks-likeSat, 24 Jan 2015 23:26:04 -0500<b>Pro-Russian rebels unleashed a barrage of rocket fire against the eastern Ukrainian city of Mariupol Saturday.</b> The rockets killed at least 30 civilians.jimdalrympleiinonadultnonadultnonadultPeople stand next to the body of a victim killed in Mariupol Saturday.nonadultnonadultA car burns on the street in a residential area of Mariupol.nonadultnonadultA body lies in a Mariupol street guarded by Ukrainian soldiers.nonadultnonadultBurned out cars in Mariupol.nonadultnonadultResidents of Mariupol stand near the body of a victim of Saturday's attack.nonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultA body lies in a Mariupol street Saturday.nonadultnonadultA pro-Russian rebel holds a Ukrainian flag found at a captured checkpoint in Krasniy Partizan Saturday.nonadultAn Orthodox priest stands next to the bodies of killed Ukrainian soldiers in the town of Krasniy Partizan Saturday.nonadultA pro-Russian rebel patrols positions at a check-point in Krasniy Partizan Saturday.nonadultnonadultPeople light candles in Independence Square in Kiev Saturday.nonadultnonadultPeople hold placards with the slogan "I am Bosse" during a mourning ceremony for victims killed in the shelling of a bus stop in Donetsk Saturday.nonadultnonadultA Ukrainian serviceman stands guard at his position in the village of Luhanska Saturday.nonadultUkrainian servicemen guard their position in the village of Luhanska Saturday.nonadultnonadultThe War In Ukraine Is Back Onhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/maxseddon/the-war-in-ukraine-is-back-on?utm_term=4ldqpia
At least 30 civilians are dead after rocket fire rained down on a new front in eastern Ukraine. Moscow appears to be using the offensive to extract a new settlement from Kiev and the West.

AP / Sergey Vaganov

The fragile five-month peace in eastern Ukraine looked to be in tatters on Saturday after a rain of rocket fire killed scores of civilians, seemingly opening a new front in the Russian-backed rebel offensive.

At least 30 people, including two children, died and 93 were injured in a barrage of shelling from three rebel-controlled Grad rocket launchers on the eastern outskirts of the strategically vital port city of Mariupol, local Ukrainian health authorities said. The rockets hit a market, residential buildings, and a toy store, scattering fire across the area.

"The attack on Mariupol has begun. It will be the best monument to all our dead," rebel leader Alexander Zakharchenko said in comments carried by Russian state media. As horrific details of the attack emerged, however, Zakharchenko denied his own statement a few hours later and claimed that Kiev was trying to "dump the responsibility on us."

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and European Union foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini blamed the rebels for the attack and threatened further repercussions for Russia, though they stopped short of vowing to pass new sanctions. Russia's foreign ministry, normally quick to apportion blame for most civilian deaths to Ukrainian forces, was conspicuously silent.

Russian-backed rebels controlling parts of Ukraine's two easternmost provinces have gone on an offensive in recent days across the tenuous border established in a September ceasefire deal and since punctuated by near-constant shelling. Zakharchenko and other top rebels have said they will refuse to participate in further peace talks and take no prisoners.

"Over the last 24 hours the situation has seriously worsened across the entire line of conduct of combat operations," Ukrainian defense minister Stepan Poltorak said. "Illegal military divisions are going on the offensive everywhere."

A car burns on the street after a shelling by pro-Russian rebels of a residential sector of Mariupol on Jan. 24, 2015.

Nikolai Ryabchenko / Reuters

Russian President Vladimir Putin essentially gave public blessing to the offensive at a security council session on Friday, when he blamed the uptick in violence on Ukraine's "criminal orders." Ukrainian security council chairman Oleksandr Turchynov claimed to have evidence that Putin personally authorized the offensive.

"This is a crime against peaceful citizens, against humanity, and the blood of these people lies directy on the president of the Russain Federation," Turchynov said.

Capturing Mariupol, a dreary industrial town of 500,000 about 70 miles south of the rebel stronghold of Donetsk, would be a major step in opening a land corridor to Crimea, which Russia has struggled to supply since annexing it last March. The city is the only major population center on the highway along the Sea of Azov linking the peninsula with southwest Russia, where Ukraine says Russia has stationed 50,000 troops.

Rebels have also vowed to retake the entirety of Donetsk and Luhansk provinces, whose Ukrainian-controlled parts contain infrastructure vital to sustaining rebel territory.

Ukrainian officials say that the new wave of fighting was carried out by up to 9,000 Russian soldiers. The recent conflict has also seen rebels dislodge government forces from their redoubt in the remains of Donetsk's airport and come close to surrounding the Ukrainian staging post of Debalsteve,

Though Kiev has provided no evidence to support that figure, the rapid advance of the ragtag rebel army suggests at the very least a strong helping hand from Moscow. Russian troops poured across the border to beat back Ukraine's poorly equipped, incompetently managed forces in August, saving the rebels from certain defeat.

The fighting has coincided with the postponement of further peace talks originally set for last week and all but abrogates the existing settlement signed in the Belarusian capital, Minsk. It was a ceasefire in name only. None of its 12 provisions were carried out in full, while over 1,500 people, many of them civilians, were killed in the months after it was signed.

With the Minsk deal dead in the water, the fresh fighting raises the urgency for the postponed Russia-Ukraine summit, to be mediated by France and Germany, in the Kazakh capital of Astana.

Russia's hand now looks considerably stronger since German Chancellor Angela Merkel scrapped the meeting in anger at the rebels' failure to uphold the earlier ceasefire provisions.

]]>Max Seddonhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/maxseddon/the-war-in-ukraine-is-back-onSat, 24 Jan 2015 12:17:31 -0500<b>At least 30 civilians are dead after rocket fire rained down on a new front in eastern Ukraine.</b> Moscow appears to be using the offensive to extract a new settlement from Kiev and the West.maxseddonnonadultnonadultThe fragile five-month peace in eastern Ukraine looked to be in tatters on Saturday after a rain of rocket fire killed scores of civilians, seemingly opening a new front in the Russian-backed rebel offensive.
At least 30 people, including two children, died and 93 were injured in a barrage of shelling from three rebel-controlled Grad rocket launchers on the eastern outskirts of the strategically vital port city of Mariupol, <a href="http://donoda.gov.ua/?lang=ru&amp;sec=02.03.09&amp;iface=Public&amp;cmd=view&amp;args=id:23642;tags%24_exclude:46">local Ukrainian health authorities said</a>. The rockets hit a market, residential buildings, and a toy store, scattering fire across the area.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko <a href="http://donoda.gov.ua/?lang=ru&amp;sec=02.03.09&amp;iface=Public&amp;cmd=view&amp;args=id:23642;tags%24_exclude:46">said</a> that the rocket attack was "not just a terrorist act, but a crime against humanity." Observers on the scene from the <a href="http://www.osce.org/ukraine-smm/136061">Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe</a> and <a href="http://www.hrw.org/news/2015/01/24/dispatches-rebels-likely-behind-deadly-rocket-attacks-mariupol">Human Rights Watch</a> said the rockets had come from separatist-held territory to the city's east.
"The attack on Mariupol has begun. It will be the best monument to all our dead," rebel leader Alexander Zakharchenko <a href="http://rian.com.ua/incidents/20150124/362508213.html">said</a> in comments carried by Russian state media. As horrific details of the attack emerged, however, Zakharchenko <a href="http://www.gazeta.ru/social/news/2015/01/24/n_6856225.shtml?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=banner&amp;utm_campaign=news">denied his own statement</a> a few hours later and <a href="http://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=2301161">claimed that</a> Kiev was trying to "dump the responsibility on us."
U.S. Secretary of State <a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2015/01/236276.htm">John Kerry</a> and European Union foreign affairs chief <a href="http://eeas.europa.eu/statements-eeas/2015/150124_01_en.htm">Federica Mogherini</a> blamed the rebels for the attack and threatened further repercussions for Russia, though they stopped short of vowing to pass new sanctions. Russia's foreign ministry, normally quick to apportion blame for most civilian deaths to Ukrainian forces, was conspicuously silent.
Russian-backed rebels controlling parts of Ukraine's two easternmost provinces have gone on an offensive in recent days across the tenuous border established in a September ceasefire deal and since punctuated by near-constant shelling. Zakharchenko and other top rebels have said they will refuse to participate in further peace talks and take no prisoners.
"Over the last 24 hours the situation has seriously worsened across the entire line of conduct of combat operations," Ukrainian defense minister Stepan Poltorak <a href="http://rian.com.ua/incidents/20150124/362507386.html">said</a>. "Illegal military divisions are going on the offensive everywhere."nonadultA car burns on the street after a shelling by pro-Russian rebels of a residential sector of Mariupol on Jan. 24, 2015.nonadultRussian President Vladimir Putin <a href="http://kremlin.ru/news/47505">essentially gave public blessing to the offensive</a> at a security council session on Friday, when he blamed the uptick in violence on Ukraine's "criminal orders." Ukrainian security council chairman Oleksandr Turchynov claimed to have evidence that Putin personally authorized the offensive.
"This is a crime against peaceful citizens, against humanity, and the blood of these people lies directy on the president of the Russain Federation," Turchynov <a href="http://zn.ua/POLITICS/ukraina-prizyvaet-sozvat-sovbez-oon-iz-za-obstrela-mariupolya-164983_.html">said</a>.
The United Nations said on Friday that <a href="http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=49882#.VMO3_abJU78">at least 262 people</a> have died since fighting broke out in earnest on Jan. 13, including two <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/stephaniemcneal/at-least-10-civilians-die-in-shelling-as-ukraine-summit-call#.pxNvOR2oY">horrifying attacks</a> on <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/shelling-kills-13-at-bus-stop-in-donetsk-1421917147">civilian buses</a>. Ukraine and the rebels blame each other for the attacks.
Capturing Mariupol, a dreary industrial town of 500,000 about 70 miles south of the rebel stronghold of Donetsk, would be a major step in opening a land corridor to Crimea, which Russia has struggled to supply since annexing it last March. The city is the only major population center on the highway along the Sea of Azov linking the peninsula with southwest Russia, where Ukraine says Russia has stationed 50,000 troops.
Rebels have also vowed to retake the entirety of Donetsk and Luhansk provinces, whose Ukrainian-controlled parts contain infrastructure vital to sustaining rebel territory.
Ukrainian officials say that the new wave of fighting was carried out by up to 9,000 Russian soldiers. The recent conflict has also seen rebels dislodge government forces from their redoubt in the remains of Donetsk's airport and come close to surrounding the Ukrainian staging post of Debalsteve,
Though Kiev has provided no evidence to support that figure, the rapid advance of the ragtag rebel army suggests at the very least a strong helping hand from Moscow. Russian troops poured across the border to beat back Ukraine's poorly equipped, incompetently managed forces in August, saving the rebels from certain defeat.
The fighting has coincided with the postponement of further peace talks originally set for last week and all but abrogates the existing settlement signed in the Belarusian capital, Minsk. It was a ceasefire in name only. None of its 12 provisions were carried out in full, while over 1,500 people, many of them civilians, were killed in the months after it was signed.
With the Minsk deal dead in the water, the fresh fighting raises the urgency for the postponed Russia-Ukraine summit, to be mediated by France and Germany, in the Kazakh capital of Astana.
Russia's hand now looks considerably stronger since German Chancellor Angela Merkel scrapped the meeting in anger at the rebels' failure to uphold the earlier ceasefire provisions.nonadultA woman resident passes by a burning house in Mariupol, on Jan. 24, 2015.nonadultWestern countries are divided on how to further rein in Russia's behavior. Some European leaders proposed rolling back sanctions earlier this month, shortly after the U.S. Congress passed a bill mandating more. Though President Obama <a href="http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/obama-says-western-sanctions-have-left-russia-s-economy-in-tatters/514671.html">boasted in his State of the Union speech</a> that the sanctions had left Russia's economy in "tatters," they appear to have only increased support for Putin at home and convinced him that he is locked in a titanic geopolitical showdown with the West.
The White House itself has shown little appetite for "nuclear options" proposed in hawkish circles. Kicking Russia out of the SWIFT banking system, which a top Russian banker recently said would amount to "<a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/miriamelder/russian-elite-warns-of-war-with-the-us#.ewKMqXPwQ">the verge of war</a>," would likely nix Russian co-operation over key strategic objectives like the Iranian nuclear talks.
"The diplomatic thread is basically running out and the West doesn't have a clear plan B," Andrew Weiss, vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told BuzzFeed News.
"In the past people could say Minsk provides this framework for freezing the conflict so Ukraine can focus on getting the domestic house in order and deal with problems in the east later," Weiss said. "That framework seems to be shattered."
Putin has attempted to style Russia as an arbiter of peace, upbraiding Poroshenko for rejecting a "peace plan" he proposed last week. In the face of all evidence to the contrary, the Russian leader continues to deny that his troops are party to the conflict.
An <a href="http://gazeta.zn.ua/internal/topografiya-krovyu-_.html">alleged copy of Putin's proposal</a> published by the Ukrainian newspaper <i>Zerkalo Nedeli</i> on Saturday, however, demands that Ukrainians formally cede territory lost to the rebels since the ceasefire. Most analysts believe that Putin wants to formalize the de facto retention of Ukraine in Moscow's sphere of influence, stopping the country's drive to the West since protests overthrew the country's pro-Russian president a year ago. Russian officials regularly bemoan that the West has failed to take Moscow's interests into account, which they say is the real reason for the crisis.
"Now, if both the West and Russia don't start talking like equal leaders on how to find a way to solve the problem, and if they're going to show Russia her place, 'You sit in the corner, and we're going to teach you a lesson with sanctions,' then no positive solution for Ukraine will ever come out of that," Igor Shuvalov, Russia's first deputy prime minister, <a href="http://itar-tass.com/politika/1717250">said</a> at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Friday. "It'll be a sore wound for decades."nonadultAccording to a statement from Biden's office, he "expressed grave concern over Russia's blatant disregard for its commitments" during his conversation with Poroshenko. Biden also "agreed to work with international partners to ensure that the costs continue to rise on Russia for its aggressive actions against Ukraine."nonadult<blockquote>The Secretary-General strongly condemns today's rocket attack on the city of Mariupol, which reportedly killed dozens of civilians and left over one hundred injured. He notes that rockets appear to have been launched indiscriminately into civilian areas, which would constitute a violation of international humanitarian law.
The Secretary-General further denounces yesterday's unilateral withdrawal from the cease-fire by rebel leadership, and particularly their provocative statements about claiming further territory. This constitutes a violation of their commitments under the Minsk accords.
The Secretary-General urges all concerned to redouble their efforts to revive the Minsk accords. Ukraine's peace, territorial integrity and stability, intrinsically linked to that of the broader region, must be urgently restored.</blockquote>nonadultUkraine's Army Says It Has Recaptured Most Of Donetsk Airporthttps://www.buzzfeed.com/davidmack/ukraine-donetsk-airport?utm_term=4ldqpia
The strategically important site has been a focus of fighting for quite some time.

Ukraine's army launched a "mass operation" that is said to have cleared pro-Russian separatists from most of the airport in the disputed city of Donestk, authorities said Sunday.

Aerial footage shot by a drone shows a multi-story control tower of the Donetsk airport damaged by shelling in this still image taken from a Jan. 15, 2015 handout video by Ukraine's army.

Handout / Reuters

"The decision was taken for a mass operation," military spokesman Andriy Lysenko told reporters.

"Our forces managed to almost completely clear the territory of the airport, which belongs to the territory of Ukrainian forces as marked by military separation lines," he said.

Residents in nearby Donestsk, which is the seat of a rebel territory that aligns itself with Russia, reported intensified shelling, Reuters reported. Houses were destroyed, while many homes and business lost electricity during the fighting, according to Sky News.

"It was impossible to sleep — explosions, the walls were shaking. It seemed like they were firing from near the building ... The DNR (rebel) army were firing from our district," one Donetsk resident told Reuters via telephone.

Lysenko said the retaking of the airport — an important, symbolic victory for the authorities in Kiev — returned the battle lines in the territory to the previous status quo. He maintained the operation did not violate the Minsk truce deal agreed to in September, because Ukrainian forces had simply been clearing rebels from their territory.

Despite its strategic importance, Donetsk's airport is a shell of its former self, with drone footage released by Ukraine's army last week showing the extensive damage to runways and control towers.

This recent report also shows fighting amid the ruins of the airport, in which soldiers and separatists battle it out in close range.

]]>David Mackhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/davidmack/ukraine-donetsk-airportSun, 18 Jan 2015 10:22:35 -0500<b>The strategically important site has been a focus of fighting for quite some time.</b>davidmacknonadultAerial footage shot by a drone shows a multi-story control tower of the Donetsk airport damaged by shelling in this still image taken from a Jan. 15, 2015 handout video by Ukraine's army.nonadult"The decision was taken for a mass operation," military spokesman Andriy Lysenko told reporters.
"Our forces managed to almost completely clear the territory of the airport, which belongs to the territory of Ukrainian forces as marked by military separation lines," he said.
Residents in nearby Donestsk, which is the seat of a rebel territory that aligns itself with Russia, reported intensified shelling, Reuters <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/18/us-ukraine-crisis-military-idUSKBN0KR0DH20150118?feedType=RSS&amp;feedName=topNews&amp;utm_source=twitter">reported</a>. Houses were destroyed, while many homes and business lost electricity during the fighting, according to <a href="http://news.sky.com/story/1410154/donetsk-airport-retaken-from-separatists">Sky News</a>.
"It was impossible to sleep — explosions, the walls were shaking. It seemed like they were firing from near the building ... The DNR (rebel) army were firing from our district," one Donetsk resident told <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/18/us-ukraine-crisis-military-idUSKBN0KR0DH20150118?feedType=RSS&amp;feedName=topNews&amp;utm_source=twitter">Reuters</a> via telephone.
Lysenko said the retaking of the airport — an important, symbolic victory for the authorities in Kiev — returned the battle lines in the territory to the previous status quo. He maintained the operation did not violate the Minsk truce deal agreed to in September, because Ukrainian forces had simply been clearing rebels from their territory.nonadultnonadultnonadultU.S. Airstrikes In Syria Leave Rebel Allies To Face Extremist Backlashhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/mikegiglio/us-allies-in-syria-may-end-up-as-victims-of-airstrikes?utm_term=4ldqpia
“We are afraid that the West doesn’t want to finish this.” Moderate Syrians are worried strikes will leave them vulnerable to extremists.

A rebel fighter in Aleppo, Syria.

Hosam Katan / Reuters

ANTAKYA, Turkey — Ahmed Saoud was sitting in the restaurant of a four-star hotel in the Turkish city of Antakya, a short drive from the border with Syria, when he got an alarming call on his cell phone. An American voice was on the line. He said something that seemed to rile Saoud, a colonel who defected from the Syrian army and now commands a battalion of moderate rebels based in the country's turbulent north.

Saoud's group gets covert U.S. military support as part of a small CIA program to arm and train moderate rebels. Called the 13th Division, the battalion boasts a number of military defectors like Saoud, a common trait in the select club of rebel groups that America has decided it can trust in the murky war. One U.S. official involved in Syria policy, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the 13th Division gets strong reviews in Washington: "They sit at the rare intersection of combat-effective and responsible."

Such groups are rare in Syria — and all are weak compared to the Islamist battalions that now dominate the war. The U.S.-backed Free Syrian Army has been reduced to a shadow of the force that once aspired to be the revolution's standard-bearer.

Yet these same groups are a key component of the U.S. campaign against extremist groups in the country that saw sweeping airstrikes this week — even as their role in U.S. intervention in Syria puts them in an increasingly precarious place. One consequence of the U.S. strikes may be that its allies face their toughest fight for survival to date.

The relatively moderate outlook of groups like Saoud's, coupled with the U.S. support they receive, makes them stand out clearly on the side of the West in a conflict where survival often depends on carefully navigating a complex web of rivalries. Inside the Antakya hotel on a recent summer afternoon, Saoud detailed village by village what territory his men controlled, where they could pass and where it was too dangerous for them to go.

Like other moderates, Saoud's battalion was already mired in one war with the regime and another with the extremist militants of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS. The call from the American — Saoud didn't say who exactly he was, but another commander at the table whispered, "he must be CIA" — warned that yet another front might be opening. Tensions had already been rising between U.S.-backed groups and Jabhat al-Nusra, the local branch of al-Qaeda and one of the strongest rebel forces in Syria. Now a de facto alliance between the sides — Nusra was likewise warring with ISIS and the regime — risked breaking down. The American said Nusra had moved forces into a strategic town near the border, a potential prelude to a conflict breaking out.

"We are fighting the regime, and we are fighting ISIS, we are fighting criminal groups, and now we are fighting against Jabhat al-Nusra," Saoud said. "We need all kinds of support."

That standoff with Nusra eased over the next few weeks. But with the start of U.S. airstrikes, it risks flaring more than ever, and groups like Saoud's have found themselves at the center of a storm of conflicts that might swallow them up. In addition to ISIS, the U.S. strikes targeted a Nusra cell, setting the stage for an open battle with the group that could draw in its allies on the ground. Rumors have swirled since that other Islamist battalions may have been hit as well.

But the U.S.-backed rebels remain undermanned and badly outgunned, even if they did receive a reported uptick in new weapons ahead of the strikes. An upcoming $500-million program by the Pentagon to arm and train moderate rebels, meanwhile, remains months away from meaningful results. Groups like Saoud's have typically received small arms along with U.S.-made anti-tank missiles, which come with limited and closely monitored ammunition supplies.

Advocates for the rebels warn that it will take far greater support for them to survive now. "These guys have always had a target on their backs from these extremist groups," said one Syrian opposition official who has coordinated with the U.S. on military support for rebels, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Now you're in a make-or-break moment. You can't just launch airstrikes and leave these forces on the ground exposed to retaliation."

The official added: "A line in the sand has been drawn, and it's going to be an existential fight against al-Qaeda affiliates and ISIS."

Even with planned U.S. support for moderate rebels pushing ahead at full steam, however, it might not be what commanders like Saoud have in mind. They still seek to topple the regime and establish a democracy in Syria — while the U.S. is concerned with stopping ISIS and other extremists in order to combat a terrorism threat that U.S. officials warn about more loudly by the day.

The U.S. official said any support would be unlikely to help the rebels make the kind of gains — such as taking the city of Aleppo, or winning back their one-time stronghold of Homs — that would see them really threaten the regime. "I think that you will see tactical shifts in momentum," the U.S. official said. "But I think the prospect of winning back provinces or retaking major cities or even securing Aleppo or reversing losses in Aleppo is years away. I think in the short- and medium-term we're talking about stabilizing and reducing pressure and so on."

On a recent night, Saoud sat with a group of friends and colleagues who shared his vision for Syria, smoking tobacco in big puffs from a narghile. They discussed a bakery the battalion runs to feed people in the province of Idlib, a campaign to help Syrian refugees, and other efforts at the kind of governance that could help them win the trust of locals and eventually replace the regime. "Without the people's support, we are nothing," Saoud said. "Now we are ready to manage the country. Now we are preparing to make people ready to take the second step in this revolution."

But the mood at the table was more wary than optimistic. "You know, we as Syrian people are afraid of one thing, really. We are afraid that the West doesn't want to finish this," said Samer Tennari, an engineer who risks his life to keep the power running in parts of rebel-held Syria. "If the West gives us only limited support to fight Islamists, the war will continue. And it will kill us all, my dear."

]]>Mike Gigliohttps://www.buzzfeed.com/mikegiglio/us-allies-in-syria-may-end-up-as-victims-of-airstrikesWed, 24 Sep 2014 11:55:14 -0400<b>&ldquo;We are afraid that the West doesn&rsquo;t want to finish this.&rdquo;</b> Moderate Syrians are worried strikes will leave them vulnerable to extremists.mikegigliononadultA rebel fighter in Aleppo, Syria.nonadultANTAKYA, Turkey &mdash; Ahmed Saoud was sitting in the restaurant of a four-star hotel in the Turkish city of Antakya, a short drive from the border with Syria, when he got an alarming call on his cell phone. An American voice was on the line. He said something that seemed to rile Saoud, a colonel who defected from the Syrian army and now commands a battalion of moderate rebels based in the country's turbulent north.
Saoud&#39;s group gets covert U.S. military support as part of a small CIA program to arm and train moderate rebels. Called the 13th Division, the battalion boasts a number of military defectors like Saoud, a common trait in the select club of rebel groups that America has decided it can trust in the murky war. One U.S. official involved in Syria policy, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the 13th Division gets strong reviews in Washington: "They sit at the rare intersection of combat-effective and responsible."
Such groups are rare in Syria &mdash; and all are weak compared to the Islamist battalions that now dominate the war. The U.S.-backed Free Syrian Army has been reduced to a shadow of the force that once aspired to be the revolution&#39;s standard-bearer.
Yet these same groups are a key component of the U.S. campaign against extremist groups in the country that saw sweeping airstrikes this week &mdash; even as their role in U.S. intervention in Syria puts them in an increasingly precarious place. One consequence of the U.S. strikes may be that its allies face their toughest fight for survival to date.
The relatively moderate outlook of groups like Saoud&#39;s, coupled with the U.S. support they receive, makes them stand out clearly on the side of the West in a conflict where survival often depends on carefully navigating a complex web of rivalries. Inside the Antakya hotel on a recent summer afternoon, Saoud detailed village by village what territory his men controlled, where they could pass and where it was too dangerous for them to go.
Like other moderates, Saoud&#39;s battalion was already mired in one war with the regime and another with the extremist militants of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS. The call from the American &mdash; Saoud didn&#39;t say who exactly he was, but another commander at the table whispered, "he must be CIA" &mdash; warned that yet another front might be opening. Tensions had already been rising between U.S.-backed groups and Jabhat al-Nusra, the local branch of al-Qaeda and one of the strongest rebel forces in Syria. Now a de facto alliance between the sides &mdash; Nusra was likewise warring with ISIS and the regime &mdash; risked breaking down. The American said Nusra had moved forces into a strategic town near the border, a potential prelude to a conflict breaking out.
"We are fighting the regime, and we are fighting ISIS, we are fighting criminal groups, and now we are fighting against Jabhat al-Nusra," Saoud said. "We need all kinds of support."
Saoud&#39;s deputy, Hassan Jaweesh, another defected colonel, wryly added: "We don&#39;t know who we&#39;ll have to fight next."
That standoff with Nusra eased over the next few weeks. But with the start of U.S. airstrikes, it risks flaring more than ever, and groups like Saoud&#39;s have found themselves at the center of a storm of conflicts that might swallow them up. In addition to ISIS, the U.S. strikes targeted a Nusra cell, setting the stage for an open battle with the group that could draw in its allies on the ground. Rumors have swirled since that other Islamist battalions may have been hit as well.
But the U.S.-backed rebels remain undermanned and badly outgunned, even if they did receive a reported uptick in new weapons ahead of the strikes. An upcoming $500-million program by the Pentagon to arm and train moderate rebels, meanwhile, remains months away from meaningful results. Groups like Saoud&#39;s have typically received small arms along with U.S.-made anti-tank missiles, which come with limited and closely monitored ammunition supplies.
Advocates for the rebels warn that it will take far greater support for them to survive now. "These guys have always had a target on their backs from these extremist groups," said one Syrian opposition official who has coordinated with the U.S. on military support for rebels, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Now you&#39;re in a make-or-break moment. You can&#39;t just launch airstrikes and leave these forces on the ground exposed to retaliation."
The official added: "A line in the sand has been drawn, and it&#39;s going to be an existential fight against al-Qaeda affiliates and ISIS."
Even with planned U.S. support for moderate rebels pushing ahead at full steam, however, it might not be what commanders like Saoud have in mind. They still seek to topple the regime and establish a democracy in Syria &mdash; while the U.S. is concerned with stopping ISIS and other extremists in order to combat a terrorism threat that U.S. officials warn about more loudly by the day.
The U.S. official said any support would be unlikely to help the rebels make the kind of gains &mdash; such as taking the city of Aleppo, or winning back their one-time stronghold of Homs &mdash; that would see them really threaten the regime. "I think that you will see tactical shifts in momentum," the U.S. official said. "But I think the prospect of winning back provinces or retaking major cities or even securing Aleppo or reversing losses in Aleppo is years away. I think in the short- and medium-term we&#39;re talking about stabilizing and reducing pressure and so on."
On a recent night, Saoud sat with a group of friends and colleagues who shared his vision for Syria, smoking tobacco in big puffs from a narghile. They discussed a bakery the battalion runs to feed people in the province of Idlib, a campaign to help Syrian refugees, and other efforts at the kind of governance that could help them win the trust of locals and eventually replace the regime. "Without the people&#39;s support, we are nothing," Saoud said. "Now we are ready to manage the country. Now we are preparing to make people ready to take the second step in this revolution."
But the mood at the table was more wary than optimistic. "You know, we as Syrian people are afraid of one thing, really. We are afraid that the West doesn&#39;t want to finish this," said Samer Tennari, an engineer who risks his life to keep the power running in parts of rebel-held Syria. "If the West gives us only limited support to fight Islamists, the war will continue. And it will kill us all, my dear."nonadultCeasefire In Ukraine Reportedly Collapses As Shooting Breaks Out In Mariupolhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/jimdalrympleii/ceasefire-in-ukraine-reportedly-collapses-as-shooting-breaks
Witnesses reported seeing explosions and rocket fire late Saturday.

The cease-fire agreed on Friday by Ukraine and Russian-backed rebels gives the greatest hope yet that the conflict in the east, which has killed more than 2,600 people and sparked the greatest crisis between Russia and the West since the Cold War, may soon come to an end. The terms of the 12-point deal signed in the Belarusian capital Minsk by former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma and rebel leaders with Russia's ambassador to Kiev looking on have not been released. Both sides said, however, that they agreed to cease hostilities at 5 p.m. local time, exchange prisoners, create corridors for deliveries of aid and refugees, and begin work rebuilding the region's severely damaged infrastructure.

Whether it holds is another matter. Reports of fighting in the rebel stronghold of Donetsk and the new front near the city of Mariupol continue to come in hours after the deal was struck. Ukraine ended the last cease-fire after 10 days in late June, complaining that rebels and Russian artillery had continued to attack their positions throughout. Both sides may be unable to contain the more boisterous elements in their ranks. A question mark remains, too, over Russia, which claims not to be party to the conflict but whose involvement has passed into the realm of implausible deniability.

"A cease-fire is not a panacea. What you need is you need both a cease-fire and a political process, plus a credible enforcement mechanism. At this point we only have the first one," said Andrew Weiss, vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment, a think tank. "In the absence of a really effective mechanism you can have people break their obligations and there's no real costs."

Here's a look at what this means for the main players.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko

Yves Herman / Reuters

The cease-fire will provide much-needed breathing room for Poroshenko, who came to office in May vowing to drive the rebels out of the east by summer's end. Though Ukraine's poorly equipped army and ragtag irregular forces seemed set for victory only two weeks ago, a rebel counterattack — coming after Russia sent in reinforcements, Kiev says — caused huge losses and forced it to retreat from key positions. Ceasing hostilities even for a short time will, at the least, allow troops to regroup and stem the growing flow of casualties. The government should also have more time to address the several other attendant crises facing Ukraine, which needs $19 billion to avoid defaulting on its debt next year and risks freezing this winter unless it can reach a deal on gas supplies with Moscow.

Poroshenko, however, still faces considerable pressure at home from an overwhelmingly pro-war public that will reject any deal with Vladimir Putin or the rebels, who are casually referred to as "Russian terrorists" in Ukrainian media. With key parliamentary elections set for next month, his own prime minister, Arseny Yatsenyuk, is attempting to outstrip him by positioning himself as more warlike than the commander-in-chief. On Wednesday, as Putin announced a seven-point peace plan he had discussed with Poroshenko, Yatsenyuk stole the thunder by saying, "The real plan of Putin is to destroy Ukraine and to restore the Soviet Union," and announcing a project to strengthen the porous Ukrainian–Russian border with a "wall."

Most ominous is the expected reaction of Ukraine's volunteer battalions, which include large numbers of far-right nationalists, Ukrainian activists, unabashed neo-Nazis, and criminals, in addition to perfectly rational concerned citizens. Though the groups are nominally under the control of the Interior Ministry, some of them operate de facto independently. Some of the volunteers have become increasingly hostile to any deal after their men died in large numbers last month during an ambush in the town of Ilovaysk. Semen Semenchenko, the leader of the popular Donbass battalion, removed his trademark balaclava and made numerous media appearances damning Ukraine's generals for "cheating" the volunteers by promising help and doing nothing. Other volunteers have seized on his stabbed-in-the-back rhetoric, vowing to "restore order" to Kiev. Many in there speak of a "second Maidan" echoing the protests last winter that ousted Poroshenko's predecessor, Viktor Yanukovych, if he is unable to satisfy the people's demands for victory. Revolution and realpolitik are rarely easy bedfellows.

]]>Max Seddonhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/maxseddon/the-cease-fire-in-ukraine-is-only-the-beginning-of-the-endFri, 05 Sep 2014 17:10:31 -0400<b>And maybe not even that.</b>maxseddonnonadultnonadultThe cease-fire <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/tasneemnashrulla/ukraine-and-pro-russian-rebels-agree-to-a-cease-fire">agreed on Friday</a> by Ukraine and Russian-backed rebels gives the greatest hope yet that the conflict in the east, which has killed <a href="http://www.euronews.com/2014/09/03/ukraine-conflict-un-estimates-over-2600-dead-and-thousands-more-wounded/">more than 2,600 people</a> and sparked the greatest crisis between Russia and the West since the Cold War, may soon come to an end. The terms of the 12-point deal signed in the Belarusian capital Minsk by former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma and rebel leaders with Russia's ambassador to Kiev looking on have not been released. Both sides said, however, that they agreed to cease hostilities at 5 p.m. local time, exchange prisoners, create corridors for deliveries of aid and refugees, and begin work rebuilding the region&#39;s severely damaged infrastructure.
Whether it holds is another matter. Reports of fighting in the rebel stronghold of Donetsk and the new front near the city of Mariupol <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/05/us-ukraine-crisis-idUSKBN0GZ18D20140905">continue to come in</a> hours after the deal was struck. Ukraine ended the last cease-fire after 10 days in late June, complaining that rebels and Russian artillery had continued to attack their positions throughout. Both sides may be unable to contain the more boisterous elements in their ranks. A question mark remains, too, over Russia, which claims not to be party to the conflict but whose involvement has passed into the realm of implausible deniability.
"A cease-fire is not a panacea. What you need is you need both a cease-fire and a political process, plus a credible enforcement mechanism. At this point we only have the first one," said Andrew Weiss, vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment, a think tank. "In the absence of a really effective mechanism you can have people break their obligations and there&#39;s no real costs."
Here&#39;s a look at what this means for the main players.nonadultnonadultThe cease-fire will provide much-needed breathing room for Poroshenko, who came to office in May vowing to drive the rebels out of the east by summer's end. Though Ukraine&#39;s poorly equipped army and ragtag irregular forces seemed set for victory only two weeks ago, a rebel counterattack &mdash; coming after Russia sent in reinforcements, Kiev says &mdash; caused huge losses and forced it to retreat from key positions. Ceasing hostilities even for a short time will, at the least, allow troops to regroup and stem the growing flow of casualties. The government should also have more time to address the several other attendant crises facing Ukraine, which needs $19 billion to avoid defaulting on its debt next year and risks freezing this winter unless it can reach a deal on gas supplies with Moscow.
Poroshenko, however, still faces considerable pressure at home from an overwhelmingly pro-war public that will reject any deal with Vladimir Putin or the rebels, who are casually referred to as "Russian terrorists" in Ukrainian media. With key parliamentary elections set for next month, his own prime minister, Arseny Yatsenyuk, is attempting to outstrip him by positioning himself as more warlike than the commander-in-chief. On Wednesday, as Putin announced a seven-point peace plan he had discussed with Poroshenko, Yatsenyuk stole the thunder by <a href="http://www.rferl.org/content/ukraine-russia-putin-cease-fire/26564937.html">saying</a>, "The real plan of Putin is to destroy Ukraine and to restore the Soviet Union," and announcing a project to strengthen the porous Ukrainian&ndash;Russian border with a "wall."
Most ominous is the expected reaction of Ukraine&#39;s volunteer battalions, which include large numbers of far-right nationalists, Ukrainian activists, unabashed neo-Nazis, and criminals, in addition to perfectly rational concerned citizens. Though the groups are nominally under the control of the Interior Ministry, some of them operate de facto independently. Some of the volunteers have become increasingly hostile to any deal after their men died in large numbers last month during an ambush in the town of Ilovaysk. Semen Semenchenko, the leader of the popular Donbass battalion, removed his trademark balaclava and made numerous media appearances damning Ukraine&#39;s generals for "cheating" the volunteers by promising help and doing nothing. Other volunteers have seized on his stabbed-in-the-back rhetoric, <a href="http://lifenews.ru/news/139873">vowing to "restore order" to Kiev</a>. Many in there speak of a "second Maidan" echoing the protests last winter that ousted Poroshenko&#39;s predecessor, Viktor Yanukovych, if he is unable to satisfy the people&#39;s demands for victory. Revolution and realpolitik are rarely easy bedfellows.nonadultnonadultThe cease-fire is also welcome relief for the rebels, who now have time to secure their positions in their strongholds of Donetsk and Luhansk &mdash; apparently without even discussing the status of their so-called "people's republics." Long sieges of protracted shelling have destroyed much of the cities&#39; infrastructure, claimed thousands of civilian casualties, and cost the rebels a significant degree of the popular support they enjoyed when they held a ramshackle independence referendum in May. Now that the repair effort is to begin, the rebels have an opportunity to demonstrate their capacity to provide public services. Ukraine still, at least nominally, controls the emergency relief workers, firemen, and repairmen tasked with putting the region&#39;s battered infrastructure back together. Presumably, they&#39;ll also have to pick up the bill, which Yatsenyuk estimates will run to $8 billion.
Achieving their goal of seceding from Ukraine seems further off. Since Moscow still seems uninterested in absorbing the so-called republics, the best the rebels can hope for is an essential autonomy of the sort enjoyed in other frozen conflicts like Abkhazia and Transnistria. They may not have much to offer their citizens. Donetsk and Luhansk&#39;s economies are dominated by raw materials and industry enterprises that have long survived on subsidies from Kiev. De facto independence would cut them off from global markets and devastate an already crippled economy. Moscow, for its part, has little need for what they produce and would be uneager to subsidize a puppet state, especially with Crimea already burning billions out of Russia&#39;s reserve fund. Prolonging the republics&#39; lifespan would require the rebels rediscover its original raison d&#39;&ecirc;tre: a land corridor known as "New Russia" stretching from Luhansk to Transnistria, incorporating five other Ukrainian provinces and providing Russia with land access to Crimea. Putin, however, doesn&#39;t seem prepared to go that far yet.nonadultnonadultPresident Obama welcomed the cease-fire from the NATO summit in Wales, but <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXc2Tldk9ec">said</a> that he was "skeptical that in fact the separatists will follow through and the Russians will stop violating Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. So it has to be tested."
Western resolve over how to contain the Kremlin has yet to pass mettle. Initial reactions in Wales to the Minsk deal pointed to divisions on how to move forward. Obama said, "The only reason that we&#39;re seeing the cease-fire at this moment is because of both the sanctions that have already been applied and the threat of further sanctions."
EU leaders &mdash; whose economies are more vulnerable to Russian retaliation and who have to contend with dissenters among 28 veto-wielding member states &mdash; were more cautious. Fran&ccedil;ois Hollande, the French president who stunned Russia earlier in the week by postponing delivery of two Mistral-class aircraft carriers, said France <a href="http://en.ria.ru/russia/20140905/192647111/Ceasefire-Should-Be-Reached-In-Ukraine-For-France-to-Deliver-Mistral-to-Russia.html">would resume delivery</a> if a cease-fire and lasting political settlement in Ukraine were reached. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron <a href="https://twitter.com/BBCGavinHewitt/status/507870482444877825">both said</a> a new package of EU sanctions being readied could be suspended if the crisis waned.nonadultnonadultHow do you end a war you won't even admit you&#39;re fighting? Russia continues to deny any involvement in the Ukraine conflict, despite allegations from Ukraine and NATO that Moscow sent thousands of heavily equipped troops to lead the rebel counteroffensive last month. A break in the fighting, however, is clearly to the Kremlin&#39;s advantage too.
Vladimir Putin, who claimed to have "sketched out" a peace plan while flying to Mongolia on Wednesday, can assume the mantle of peacemaker in a conflict he himself fomented. By demonstrating that Russia is prepared to meet any Ukrainian attempt at victory with escalation, Putin showed Poroshenko that the crisis is ultimately a political one, one that cannot end any other way except through negotiations. That has essentially allowed Putin to dictate terms to Ukraine much like the ones he initially wanted in the spring: autonomy for Donetsk and Luhansk to a degree that all but removes them from Kiev&#39;s control; recognition of the Russian language there, which makes almost no practical difference but recognizes Putin&#39;s desired role as protector of all Russian-speaking peoples; and the tacit implication that Ukraine will never break free of Moscow&#39;s sphere of influence &mdash; never mind joining the European Union or NATO.
A show of strength on this scale, however, does not come without a cost. NATO says "thousands" of Russian troops are currently active in the east, backed by what appear to be hundreds of tanks and armored personnel carriers. They may still be pretending not to be there, but they appear to have suffered numerous and very real casualties. Despite a state media blackout, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/08/29/what-does-russia-tell-the-mothers-of-soldiers-killed-in-ukraine-not-much/">reports</a> have trickled in of Russian soldiers vanishing without a word to their families and turning up dead a few weeks later with no official explanation. "When you have war by other means, you have casualties by other means," said Mark Galeotti, a professor at New York University who studies Russian security forces.
Relatives have voiced their fury to the local and foreign press; returning survivors have let off steam on social media. A lawmaker in the city of Pskov, Lev Shlosberg, was <a href="http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/russian-lawmaker-beaten-unconscious-after-questioning-reports-of-paratroopers-in-ukraine/506156.html">severely beaten last week</a> in what he assumes was retaliation for his investigation into the deaths of 80 paratroopers from a local battalion of 100. State television, the sole source of information for an overwhelming majority of Russians, was eventually forced to acknowledge the deaths on Thursday in <a href="http://www.1tv.ru/news/social/266969">a story about a soldier&#39;s funeral</a> in the city of Kostroma. He had gone to eastern Ukraine "on vacation," it said. He never told his relatives.nonadultSyrian Opposition's Dreams Of Anti-Aircraft Weapons From U.S. Might Have Ended With Flight MH17https://www.buzzfeed.com/mikegiglio/the-syrian-oppositions-dreams-of-anti-aircraft-weapons-might
“Do you want the Manpad that you supplied to the opposition to be the one that shot down the Malaysian airplane?”

Rebel fighters in Aleppo

Hosam Katan / Reuters

ISTANBUL — The day after Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 was shot down in Ukraine, with news of the tragedy still sinking in, a Syrian TV host known for his opposition sympathies posted a message on Facebook.

"After the Malaysian plane was downed by a surface-to-air missile in Ukraine," wrote Faisal al-Qassem, who has a talk show on Al-Jazeera, "the Syrian opposition's dream of getting anti-aircraft weapons is like the devil's dream of going to paradise."

The message captured what many Syrian rebels and activists must have been thinking. They had been pleading for years for their international allies to provide them with surface-to-air missiles, to combat the devastating air power of the Bashar al-Assad regime. But the Obama administration had refused to allow it — worried that the weapons could fall into the wrong hands, or that rebels could accidentally cause a disaster like the one in Ukraine. Now the prospect of getting them seemed more distant than ever as a worst-case scenario played out for a different set of rebels and their Russian backers 800 miles away.

As one rebel commander in northern Syria put it, after first expressing his sympathy for the victims of MH17, "Maybe [the U.S.] will take this as even more of a reason not to do it."

The commander — a defected lieutenant colonel who goes by the nickname Abu Ahmed and leads a battalion called Ahrar al-Sahel — had a somber outlook on the possibility of international support. "If the international community wanted to give us anti-aircraft weapons they would have done it long ago, before so many thousands were killed," he said.

Moderate rebels, in particular, largely share this attitude, weary of waiting for meaningful aid in the form of anti-aircraft and other heavy weapons as they fade from their once-prominent place in the rebellion, rolled back by the regime as well as extremist rivals. Yet recent weeks had seen rare glimpses of hope. Following the surge of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, an al-Qaeda offshoot, in Iraq last month, the Obama administration announced plans for a $500 million program to train and arm moderate rebels, which would be its most intensive effort to help them to date.

While the plan made no mention of anti-aircraft weapons, it suggested a possible thaw in the administration's icy attitude on military assistance to the rebels — and some of the rebellion's backers in Washington were optimistic that anti-aircraft weapons might be coming by other means. Before the MH17 crash, according to one congressional staffer briefed on the deliberations, the U.S. had been considering proposals to allow its allies to provide the rebels with modified versions of shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles known as man-portable air defense systems, or Manpads.

But now the same staffer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, had serious doubts, even though it was a farther-reaching and more powerful kind of surface-to-air missile that had brought MH17 down: "I just think that this administration has been so hesitant anyway — and whether the weapons systems are comparable or not, or obviously even the situation is not comparable — I think in their minds it's all one in the same, and I think this could potentially change the calculus."

The nightmare in Ukraine, in fact, seems to have reinforced the Obama administration's confidence in its cautious approach to the rebels in Syria — particularly when it comes to anti-aircraft weapons.

"We have always expressed concern about the proliferation risk associated with anti-aircraft systems," Bernadette Meehan, a spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council, told BuzzFeed. "For instance, in Syria, there have been calls to provide Manpads, but we've always been concerned about the danger that those types of weapons could fall into the wrong hands or pose a risk to civil aviation."

In backing the rebels in eastern Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has pursued a course much the opposite of U.S. Syria policy. Russia has pumped heavy weapons into the self-styled separatist republics in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, including Manpads, and threatened to intervene militarily on their behalf. A number of Russian citizens with ties to the country's intelligence services are helping to lead the rebellion on the ground. The U.S. has also accused Russia of firing rockets across the border at Ukrainian forces — and of providing rebels with the anti-aircraft weapon, a vehicle-mounted missile system known as a Buk, that they likely used to down MH17, mistakenly believing it to be a Ukrainian military plane.

Now Putin is facing the backlash — he has become more of an international pariah than ever amid the furor over the attack, and the U.S. and European countries agreed to their most severe round of sanctions yet on Monday. "[MH17] points to the risk of arming proxies," said a senior U.S. administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Oubai Shahbandar, a senior adviser to the Syrian opposition based in Washington, D.C., who has been lobbying to see moderate rebels provided with Manpads and other heavy weapons, was apoplectic at the idea that what he called Russian "adventurism" in Ukraine might hurt rebel efforts to get arms in Syria. "It's apples to oranges. There is no comparison," he said, noting that Russia is a key backer of the Assad regime, which has bombed cities using Russian-made jets. "Anyone who tries to make that comparison is living in a parallel universe."

Manpads could not have reached the altitude that MH17 was flying when it was hit — or that commercial airliners fly generally. But when asked if he worried that the U.S. might be more hesitant to allow rebels to get Manpads in the face of the MH17 disaster, Shahbandar replied: "Absolutely — absolutely, absolutely and absolutely."

He added that rebels were willing to address U.S. concerns about proliferation by undergoing training and vetting before receiving Manpads. And he suggested that the weapons could be equipped with GPS tracking and other safeguards, such as fingerprint scanners. "The difference is that the Russians are actively promoting proliferation of advanced missile systems, while the Syrian rebels have made it clear to the United States and its allies that that they are willing to work with them to guard against proliferation," he said.

Yet serious doubts about providing Syrian rebels with Manpads remain — and may have only increased. "There are ways in which the United States itself and some of its allies can keep tabs on some of these [heavy] weapons, but it's not foolproof," said Steven Simon, a fellow at the Middle East Institute and former senior official on the Obama administration's National Security Council. "So the idea of having a lot of confidence in what happens to these weapons once you hand them over is just fictional. It's difficult to have that kind of control. And this goes all the more so for Manpads."

Simon added: "Do you want the Manpad that you supplied to the opposition to be the one that shot down the Malaysian airplane?"

]]>Mike Gigliohttps://www.buzzfeed.com/mikegiglio/the-syrian-oppositions-dreams-of-anti-aircraft-weapons-mightTue, 29 Jul 2014 09:04:29 -0400<b>"Do you want the Manpad that you supplied to the opposition to be the one that shot down the Malaysian airplane?"</b>mikegigliononadultRebel fighters in AleppononadultISTANBUL &mdash; The day after Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 was shot down in Ukraine, with news of the tragedy still sinking in, a Syrian TV host known for his opposition sympathies posted a message on Facebook.
"After the Malaysian plane was downed by a surface-to-air missile in Ukraine," wrote Faisal al-Qassem, who has a talk show on Al-Jazeera, "the Syrian opposition's dream of getting anti-aircraft weapons is like the devil&#39;s dream of going to paradise."
The message captured what many Syrian rebels and activists must have been thinking. They had been pleading for years for their international allies to provide them with surface-to-air missiles, to combat the devastating air power of the Bashar al-Assad regime. But the Obama administration had refused to allow it &mdash; worried that the weapons could fall into the wrong hands, or that rebels could accidentally cause a disaster like the one in Ukraine. Now the prospect of getting them seemed more distant than ever as a worst-case scenario played out for a different set of rebels and their Russian backers 800 miles away.
As one rebel commander in northern Syria put it, after first expressing his sympathy for the victims of MH17, "Maybe [the U.S.] will take this as even more of a reason not to do it."
The commander &mdash; a defected lieutenant colonel who goes by the nickname Abu Ahmed and leads a battalion called Ahrar al-Sahel &mdash; had a somber outlook on the possibility of international support. "If the international community wanted to give us anti-aircraft weapons they would have done it long ago, before so many thousands were killed," he said.
Moderate rebels, in particular, largely share this attitude, weary of waiting for meaningful aid in the form of anti-aircraft and other heavy weapons as they fade from their once-prominent place in the rebellion, rolled back by the regime as well as extremist rivals. Yet recent weeks had seen rare glimpses of hope. Following the surge of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, an al-Qaeda offshoot, in Iraq last month, the Obama administration announced plans for a $500 million program to train and arm moderate rebels, which would be its most intensive effort to help them to date.
While the plan made no mention of anti-aircraft weapons, it suggested a possible thaw in the administration&#39;s icy attitude on military assistance to the rebels &mdash; and some of the rebellion&#39;s backers in Washington were optimistic that anti-aircraft weapons might be coming by other means. Before the MH17 crash, according to one congressional staffer briefed on the deliberations, the U.S. had been considering proposals to allow its allies to provide the rebels with modified versions of shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles known as man-portable air defense systems, or Manpads.
But now the same staffer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, had serious doubts, even though it was a farther-reaching and more powerful kind of surface-to-air missile that had brought MH17 down: "I just think that this administration has been so hesitant anyway &mdash; and whether the weapons systems are comparable or not, or obviously even the situation is not comparable &mdash; I think in their minds it&#39;s all one in the same, and I think this could potentially change the calculus."
The nightmare in Ukraine, in fact, seems to have reinforced the Obama administration&#39;s confidence in its cautious approach to the rebels in Syria &mdash; particularly when it comes to anti-aircraft weapons.
"We have always expressed concern about the proliferation risk associated with anti-aircraft systems," Bernadette Meehan, a spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council, told BuzzFeed. "For instance, in Syria, there have been calls to provide Manpads, but we&#39;ve always been concerned about the danger that those types of weapons could fall into the wrong hands or pose a risk to civil aviation."
In backing the rebels in eastern Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has pursued a course much the opposite of U.S. Syria policy. Russia has pumped heavy weapons into the self-styled separatist republics in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, including Manpads, and threatened to intervene militarily on their behalf. A number of Russian citizens with ties to the country&#39;s intelligence services are helping to lead the rebellion on the ground. The U.S. has also accused Russia of firing rockets across the border at Ukrainian forces &mdash; and of providing rebels with the anti-aircraft weapon, a vehicle-mounted missile system known as a Buk, that they likely used to down MH17, mistakenly believing it to be a Ukrainian military plane.
Now Putin is facing the backlash &mdash; he has become more of an international pariah than ever amid the furor over the attack, and the U.S. and European countries agreed to their most severe round of sanctions yet on Monday. "[MH17] points to the risk of arming proxies," said a senior U.S. administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Oubai Shahbandar, a senior adviser to the Syrian opposition based in Washington, D.C., who has been lobbying to see moderate rebels provided with Manpads and other heavy weapons, was apoplectic at the idea that what he called Russian "adventurism" in Ukraine might hurt rebel efforts to get arms in Syria. "It&#39;s apples to oranges. There is no comparison," he said, noting that Russia is a key backer of the Assad regime, which has bombed cities using Russian-made jets. "Anyone who tries to make that comparison is living in a parallel universe."
Manpads could not have reached the altitude that MH17 was flying when it was hit &mdash; or that commercial airliners fly generally. But when asked if he worried that the U.S. might be more hesitant to allow rebels to get Manpads in the face of the MH17 disaster, Shahbandar replied: "Absolutely &mdash; absolutely, absolutely and absolutely."
He added that rebels were willing to address U.S. concerns about proliferation by undergoing training and vetting before receiving Manpads. And he suggested that the weapons could be equipped with GPS tracking and other safeguards, such as fingerprint scanners. "The difference is that the Russians are actively promoting proliferation of advanced missile systems, while the Syrian rebels have made it clear to the United States and its allies that that they are willing to work with them to guard against proliferation," he said.
Yet serious doubts about providing Syrian rebels with Manpads remain &mdash; and may have only increased. "There are ways in which the United States itself and some of its allies can keep tabs on some of these [heavy] weapons, but it&#39;s not foolproof," said Steven Simon, a fellow at the Middle East Institute and former senior official on the Obama administration&#39;s National Security Council. "So the idea of having a lot of confidence in what happens to these weapons once you hand them over is just fictional. It&#39;s difficult to have that kind of control. And this goes all the more so for Manpads."
Simon added: "Do you want the Manpad that you supplied to the opposition to be the one that shot down the Malaysian airplane?"nonadult29 Incredibly Brave And Important First World Rebelshttps://www.buzzfeed.com/robynwilder/i-dont-play-by-your-rules
Users of the subreddit First World Anarchists, keep fighting the good(ish) fight.

This insurgent who won't be bound by linear time.

This revolutionist.

This rubbish bin agitator.

]]>Robyn Wilderhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/robynwilder/i-dont-play-by-your-rulesSun, 20 Jul 2014 07:35:41 -0400<b>Users of the subreddit <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/firstworldanarchists/">First World Anarchists</a>, keep fighting the good(ish) fight.</b>robynwildernonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultShellshocked City At Heart Of Ukrainian Conflict Emerges Blinking After Rebels Fleehttps://www.buzzfeed.com/maxseddon/shellshocked-city-at-heart-of-ukrainian-conflict-emerges-bli
Residents hope the worst is over for Slovyansk after a brutal, weeks-long siege. But the struggle for east Ukraine is far from over.

A shell ripped a hole through the middle of Bulvarnoye Street, 4.

Max Seddon / BuzzFeed

SLOVYANSK, Ukraine — The electricity in Nina Kulikova's home had already been gone for a day, and scores of her terrified neighbors for even longer, when the shell ripped a hole four stories high in her apartment block. Dazed, the 64-year-old grandmother stumbled out of the apartment she's lived in for 45 years and across broken glass to take shelter with those who had already taken refuge in the basement of the school across the street.

When emergency services came last week to sift through the piles of glass and concrete, they could only find one victim of the shelling. All but 25 residents of Bulvarnoye Street, 4, had already fled the city, leaving Marina Reznichenko, 76, alone, bleeding profusely from her neck. They took her to join the injured separatist militiamen in the overflowing city hospital.

Days later, none of her neighbors knew if she was dead or alive. They didn't even know who attacked the building: Ukraine's army had been shelling the city of Slovyansk for weeks, but its officers claim that much of the damage to residential buildings was done deliberately by separatists in need of ready-made victims for Russian TV. The city's residents don't really care who was responsible, given that there's still no electricity in the city. Or running water. Or gas. Or source of income. Or contact with the outside world.

The sign at the entrance to Slovyansk is riddled with bullet holes and surrounded by unexploded mortars.

Max Seddon / BuzzFeed

The worst now seems over for Slovyansk, the eastern Ukrainian conflict's epicenter until rebels abruptly abandoned their stronghold on Saturday. A mishmash of Ukrainian soldiers, policemen, and nationalist protesters hastily bundled into a national guard swept into the city as the militia, led by enigmatic Russian commander Igor Girkin, retreated to set up strongholds in the provincial centers of Donetsk and Luhansk. The abrupt surrender was a surprise after Ukrainian forces' frustrated attempts to reclaim the city throughout the three-month conflict. During that time, the rebels — who numbered only a few dozen in mid-April — reinforced their ranks with men, weapons, and armored vehicles Ukraine says came over the border from Russia.

Moscow has built up forces along the border and repeatedly threatened to intervene on behalf of Russian speakers in the region, but has been unusually quiet since Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko spurned tripartite negotiations in favor of ending a 10-day unilateral ceasefire last week. The rebels' increasingly desperate appeals for support have gone unanswered and, in a first, have not been shown on Russian TV. Ukraine claimed on Monday that it had finally sealed the eastern border, seemingly depriving the rebels of reinforcements — and an escape route.

]]>Max Seddonhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/maxseddon/shellshocked-city-at-heart-of-ukrainian-conflict-emerges-bliTue, 08 Jul 2014 09:11:07 -0400<b>Residents hope the worst is over for Slovyansk after a brutal, weeks-long siege.</b> But the struggle for east Ukraine is far from over.maxseddonnonadult<small>A shell ripped a hole through the middle of Bulvarnoye Street, 4.</small>nonadultSLOVYANSK, Ukraine &mdash; The electricity in Nina Kulikova's home had already been gone for a day, and scores of her terrified neighbors for even longer, when the shell ripped a hole four stories high in her apartment block. Dazed, the 64-year-old grandmother stumbled out of the apartment she&#39;s lived in for 45 years and across broken glass to take shelter with those who had already taken refuge in the basement of the school across the street.
When emergency services came last week to sift through the piles of glass and concrete, they could only find one victim of the shelling. All but 25 residents of Bulvarnoye Street, 4, had already fled the city, leaving Marina Reznichenko, 76, alone, bleeding profusely from her neck. They took her to join the injured separatist militiamen in the overflowing city hospital.
Days later, none of her neighbors knew if she was dead or alive. They didn&#39;t even know who attacked the building: Ukraine&#39;s army had been shelling the city of Slovyansk for weeks, but its officers claim that much of the damage to residential buildings was done deliberately by separatists in need of ready-made victims for Russian TV. The city&#39;s residents don&#39;t really care who was responsible, given that there&#39;s still no electricity in the city. Or running water. Or gas. Or source of income. Or contact with the outside world.nonadult<small>The sign at the entrance to Slovyansk is riddled with bullet holes and surrounded by unexploded mortars.</small>nonadultThe worst now seems over for Slovyansk, the eastern Ukrainian conflict's epicenter until rebels abruptly abandoned their stronghold on Saturday. A mishmash of Ukrainian soldiers, policemen, and nationalist protesters hastily bundled into a national guard swept into the city as the militia, led by enigmatic Russian commander Igor Girkin, retreated to set up strongholds in the provincial centers of Donetsk and Luhansk. The abrupt surrender was a surprise after Ukrainian forces&#39; frustrated attempts to reclaim the city throughout the three-month conflict. During that time, the rebels &mdash; who numbered only a few dozen in mid-April &mdash; reinforced their ranks with men, weapons, and armored vehicles Ukraine says came over the border from Russia.
Moscow has built up forces along the border and repeatedly threatened to intervene on behalf of Russian speakers in the region, but has been unusually quiet since Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko spurned tripartite negotiations in favor of ending a 10-day unilateral ceasefire last week. The rebels&#39; increasingly desperate appeals for support have gone unanswered and, in a first, have not been shown on Russian TV. Ukraine claimed on Monday that it had finally sealed the eastern border, seemingly depriving the rebels of reinforcements &mdash; and an escape route.nonadult<small>Ukrainian insignia at the feet of the Lenin statue on the central square in Slovyansk.</small>nonadultIn Slovyansk, Ukraine's blue-and-yellow flags now fly over the buildings the rebels occupied and the checkpoints they set up all over town. (A sign on one sardonically reads: "We&#39;re open!") But normal life is still a long way away for this once-sleepy town of 119,000, formerly known for its hot springs and ceramics industry. Much of it is in ruins. Many residents, after embracing the self-proclaimed "Donetsk People&#39;s Republic" and its maverick Russian commando, see Ukrainian forces as occupiers. Local men who took up arms and joined it have returned home, but some still sneak out at night in civilian clothes and fire on Ukrainian positions.
"I never thought I&#39;d be on my pension and see all this happen," Kulikova said, leaning on her first-floor windowsill and looking wistfully at the debris next door. "But there you go."
Kiev&#39;s central government is eager to spin the capture of Slovyansk and a few other small rebel-held towns in northern Donetsk province as a turning point, following months of fumbling and frustrated attempts to fight the separatists. Poroshenko said the news had "incredible symbolic importance." Politicians have streamed into the city to pose with Ukrainian insignia by the Lenin statue on the central square.
On Monday, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov told several dozen women who quickly surrounded him there that "the city is coming back to peaceful life." Slovyansk would be "beautiful," Avakov said. The women, some of whom were denouncing Avakov&#39;s national guardsmen as Nazis only moments earlier, cooed appreciatively when he said he hoped to have electricity restored by the end of the day.nonadult<small>Interior Minister Arsen Avakov</small>nonadultBy dusk, however, the city remained dark. Downed electrical cables line the road that once led into town from the north and is now blocked off from all sides. Unexploded mortars are scattered in front of the bullet-streaked sign bearing the city's name. Every shop is closed. Some houses are missing windows; others doors, walls, and roofs.
Unable to bring herself to leave her nine cats and two dogs, Elena, a former courtroom assistant, braved the two fiercest weeks of shelling last month in a dank cellar, as terrified of the Donetsk People&#39;s Republic&#39;s slipshod martial law as of the constant shelling overhead. (Like many people BuzzFeed met in Slovyansk, she declined to give her last name. "They might come back, you know," she said.) Most of the militia, she and other locals said, were mercenaries from out of town, including many Russians. They took over their apartments. They commandeered their cars, reducing most locals to cycling around town. Dozens who disagreed were taken hostage in the basement of the police station or the security services building and held as human shields.
Even as the conflict intensified, the People&#39;s Republic retained the support of many among the half of the population without the means to flee. Its leadership may have been motley &mdash; figures include local mobsters, a Ponzi schemer, former (and possibly current) Russian military intelligence officers, and a neo-Nazi marketing manager &mdash; but its promises spoke to people fearful of a perceived threat from the new revolutionary government in Kiev. Old women saw it as a return to their nostalgic Soviet youth. The responsibility of manning a checkpoint and the thrill of holding a gun broke the dreary cycle of unemployment and substance abuse afflicting many of the city&#39;s young men. (Pro-Ukrainians also suspect many of both were paid.)
Extended shelling has helped that hostility hold, even with the rebels on the run. "Maidan was violent, and violence begat violence," said Father Oleg, a local priest, referring to the protests in Kiev that led former president Viktor Yanukovych, eastern Ukraine&#39;s domineering political figure, to flee in February. "A state that is built upon violence and hate is doomed to destruction," he said, as he shifted through a dustpan full of shrapnel. A parishioner drove up on a bicycle, surprised to see him alive. "They said up on the north side that the Nazis banned church services when they came. And our Batyushka Vladimir is dead," he said.nonadult<small>A Ukrainian government leaflet warning Slovyansk residents of punishments for supporting the separatists.</small>nonadultWinning the battle for military control &mdash; which all but came at the cost of the city &mdash; will make it all the more difficult for Kiev to win back those hearts and minds. Poroshenko intends to create a special broadcasting service for the east, where the pervasive influence of Kremlin TV helped convince many that Russian speakers faced mortal threats from rabid Ukrainian nationalists. The brutal siege of Slovyansk and strong-arm tactics against rebels in other cities has only reinforced that notion, although locals are sharply divided on who bears the blame: Several people repeated Ukrainian claims that the rebels themselves shelled the city to create ready-made atrocities for Russian TV. Evaluating and verifying <a href="http://m.hrw.org/news/2014/07/05/day-luhansk-war-s-crimes-horrors-and-uncertainties">credible evidence</a> of abuses on both sides is often difficult.
Officials are now handing out leaflets explaining Poroshenko's peace plan and demonizing the insurgents. "An armed person who seizes buildings and hostages is a TERRORIST," one reads. "A Ukrainian citizen helping terrorists, diversants, occupants, and separatists in any way is ABETTING OCCUPANTS, or a COLLABORATOR." Russian TV, which Kiev is currently trying to make illegal, devoted much of its Monday evening newscast to reports of concentration camps for separatist supporters in Slovyansk and a "genocide" of Russian speakers in neighboring Luhansk.
Though rebel leaders are now vowing a decisive final battle for Donetsk, Kiev insists it will not bombard their positions for fear of civilian casualties. But a swell of public pressure for decisive military action and against a solution brokered by Russia has created an impetus for results that will make a return to normalcy in the east all the more difficult. Oleh Lyashko, a radical nationalist whose <a href="http://bigstory.ap.org/article/militant-bravado-wins-support-ukraine-radical">theatrical stunts</a> on the front lines of Donetsk and Crimea have made his poll ratings skyrocket, stormed around Slovyansk on Monday campaigning for a law that would ban the separatists&#39; supporters from public life for a decade, akin to de-Nazification in postwar Germany. When he ran into the chair of the city council in a stairwell, he forced him to write an impromptu resignation letter confessing his "cowardice," addressed to "the Ukrainian people" and signed, "Glory to Ukraine! Death to the Occupiers!" (Lyashko also found the time to interrogate someone with a plastic bag over his head in the back of a van, then <a href="https://t.co/i662on5xDc">post it to YouTube</a>.)nonadultnonadultFor now, at least, the Donetsk People's Republic is gone from Slovyansk, leaving a legacy of little more than terror and destruction. The security service headquarters that housed the militia&#39;s central command is now a festering hulk of a building after Ukrainian forces detonated mines the rebels left on its top floor. Memorabilia of this short-lived potted police state are scattered among the mulch, spilt fuel, and detritus. Dirt-covered IDs belonging to Irma Krat, a Ukrainian journalist held hostage there for three months, and a dead Ukrainian man blamed for an obviously staged attack on the city lie on the table. Rectangles of dust line the walls where the republic&#39;s flags once hung. Filthy mattresses are spread across the floor of the basement where dozens of hostages were kept. A bar of soap they used is still on the windowsill. A few socks are still hanging out to dry on disconnected wires. A bowl of unidentifiable food has gone rancid.
Outside, a sign pinned to a tree warns, "DO NOT LITTER!!! VIOLATORS WILL BE SENT TO THE BASEMENT!!!" Folders of court documents are strewn on the ground. Next to them are a few mugs, slightly burnt in the explosions but intact in plastic wrap. The sides are embossed with the flag of the "First Slovyansk Volunteer Brigade" in the army [LOOK AGAIN] of Novorossiya, the "New Russia." On the bottom, the inscription reads "Made in China."nonadultOn The Edge Of Civil War In Ukrainehttps://www.buzzfeed.com/mikegiglio/on-the-edge-of-civil-war-in-ukraine
In the eastern city of Donetsk, friends and neighbors have transformed into enemies, and people on both sides of the conflict worry that there’s no way out from a slide to civil war.

Ukrainian police try to stop a pro-Russian protester from attacking a pro-Ukrainian rally in Donetsk.

Baz Ratner / Reuters

DONETSK, Ukraine — Wearing a black shirt and white clerical collar, the pastor walked into the occupied government building that serves as rebel headquarters in this eastern Ukrainian city. Serhiy Kosyak had come to plead for leniency: Rebels threatened to kill anyone who visited the small prayer vigils he held for Ukrainian unity, the city's last open resistance to the separatist republic rebels had declared. As he waited for an audience, he saw an old friend among the gunmen milling around. Kosyak asked how he was doing. The man's eyes stared back at him with hate.

There's a moment on the slide to civil war where friends and neighbors become hard to recognize. The man screamed that Kosyak was a traitor and spy, an outburst sure to doom him amid the fevered atmosphere in the building, where suspicions ran high. Kosyak, 38, had seen the same anger in the passersby who sometimes accosted his pro-Ukraine prayer tent. And he saw it now in the rebels who tied him to a chair in the building and beat him as he prayed. He thought there was evil in it — real evil, because he believed in such things. He thought Satan grabbed hold of people with the ideas pouring into Donetsk on the Russian airwaves: that Russian-speakers there were in danger and needed to rise against Ukraine's government. When the beatings finally stopped, and he was cleared for release, he stayed in his chair for a minute to bless his assailants: God, enter their lives and open their eyes.

Kosyak was still bruised a deep purple under his dress shirt when he opened his sidewalk service more than a week later, on the last day of May. The interfaith vigils once drew hundreds, but attendance was fading as worried supporters fled. Thirty people stood at the edge of a busy bridge beneath an intermittent rain. The sermons were about Sodom: a biblical city so overrun with evil that God decided it couldn't be saved. In Genesis 19, angels send away a man named Lot, Sodom's last good soul. Then the Lord levels it from the skies. "God didn't destroy Sodom until Lot left," said a pastor named Pavel Zaystev, 46. "As long as we're here, there's still hope."

But he worried privately that Donetsk was beyond redemption. "You don't think even some miracle could change them," he said of the rebels. "That's why I think of Sodom: God destroyed them because he could not change them."

Ukraine's corrupt president, Viktor Yanukovych, a native of the Donetsk region and Russian ally, was ousted by a popular uprising in Kiev on Feb. 22. The conflict came to Russian-speaking Donetsk, where about half of the 1 million residents are ethnically Russian, soon afterward, initially with small demonstrations. Protesters worried that the new government would punish Russian-speakers — fears fueled by Kremlin propaganda. They believed that their language would be banned and that fascists from Kiev were coming to hurt them. At first, the so-called fascists they had in mind were members of the Right Sector, a fringe ultra-nationalist group that had played an outsized role on the front lines of the protests in Kiev, but soon the label included the new government and its supporters, who had largely ignored their concerns. Then the protesters were storming government buildings as Russia warned that it would intervene, if needed, to protect its "compatriots." They called for a referendum on secession, like the one that saw Russia annex Crimea in March, and they took up arms. Polls showed that most Donetsk residents wanted to remain in Ukraine, but outspoken opponents of the separatists began fleeing the city amid abductions and death threats. Some who remained deleted their Facebook pages, wondering who among their friends might be tracking their loyalties. "Fear is like a virus," one said.

But there was still hope for peace in Donetsk, the political nexus for eastern Ukraine's separatists and an important economic hub, even as fighting flared elsewhere. Throughout the spring, some residents had looked ahead to two events that might swing things back toward normalcy: Ukraine holding fresh presidential elections and Russia recalling the troops massed along the border nearby. Both came to pass, but they did nothing to stop the conflict from surging ahead. Each side had already come to see the battle as one between irreconcilable ideas — with an enemy that had to be eradicated. The fabric that let two groups of people with their own histories coexist in post-Soviet Ukraine had been ripped away. "This city needs to be cleansed," warned a Catholic priest at the unity vigil, and on another evening, inside an expanding, makeshift armory, a rebel in a flannel shirt said, "There is some dirt here now, and we have to clean it from our land."

Pastor Serhiy Kosyak.

Photograph by Evgeniy Maloletka for BuzzFeed

On the afternoon before the vigil, a rebel commander from Russia sat before a bottle of bourbon at a faded desk and outlined his mission, which he said served God.

He was in a bright office at the end of an unlit hall, inside a compound that used to house the Ukrainian security service. He had a welcoming smile and tattoos that ran down his arms and peeked out from his crew neck. He was a leader in a group called the Russian Orthodox Army, and he went by the nickname Veren, or "the faithful."

"First of all it's purification of the land — purification from fascists," Veren said. He described an awakening of Russian identity centered on Donetsk, where it was under threat, and he seemed to be an incarnation of the ideology the pastor had seen on the Russian airwaves, personally spreading it by hand.

Just a few weeks earlier, he had been overseeing what seemed like a small outlaw empire from the fifth floor of the rebel headquarters, the former government building, where masked men roamed the halls and speakers blared Soviet anthems from behind sprawling barricades. As separatist politicians scurried about overhead one day, Veren said he concerned himself with "special operations" — kidnappings and interrogations. Armed men kept handing him keys to cars they'd taken from their enemies. He has since been expanding his power, trading his spot in the crowded building for the more exclusive digs of the security compound, where men with assault rifles blocked the approaches and access was controlled with an intensity that felt paranoid. The Russian Orthodox Army's seal of a Christendom-evoking sword and shield was stenciled onto each concrete block of one outer wall. On the wall across the street, another set of rebels, the highly professional Vostok battalion, had done the same, marking turf of their own.

In the new office, a Russian flag with the army's logo hung from a bookshelf, and portraits of a fierce-looking Jesus were taped to the walls. Stickers and insignia patches sat on the desk. The first edition of the army's newsletter had just arrived, and beneath its banner were recruitment phone numbers. It also had a website. Veren saw untapped potential in the Donetsk region's 5 million people — and maybe across the Russian-speaking world. "People support us, but they're afraid to take the first step," he said. "I'm interested in any kind of promotion that gets the flow of people going."

They had even released a promotional rap video featuring gunmen packed into the same office. It got 200,000 YouTube views in less than a week. Veren bounced his head and lip-synched the lyrics as he twisted a computer monitor around:

Till last fighter, till the victorious, glorious end
On the battlefield. Russian Orthodox!
Who if not us? When if not now?
Mom, I'm sorry. Nobody but us.

]]>Mike Gigliohttps://www.buzzfeed.com/mikegiglio/on-the-edge-of-civil-war-in-ukraineThu, 12 Jun 2014 00:38:37 -0400<b>In the eastern city of Donetsk, friends and neighbors have transformed into enemies, and people on both sides of the conflict worry that there&#39;s no way out from a slide to civil war.</b>mikegigliononadultUkrainian police try to stop a pro-Russian protester from attacking a pro-Ukrainian rally in Donetsk.nonadultDONETSK, Ukraine &mdash; Wearing a black shirt and white clerical collar, the pastor walked into the occupied government building that serves as rebel headquarters in this eastern Ukrainian city. Serhiy Kosyak had come to plead for leniency: Rebels threatened to kill anyone who visited the small prayer vigils he held for Ukrainian unity, the city's last open resistance to the separatist republic rebels had declared. As he waited for an audience, he saw an old friend among the gunmen milling around. Kosyak asked how he was doing. The man&#39;s eyes stared back at him with hate.
There&#39;s a moment on the slide to civil war where friends and neighbors become hard to recognize. The man screamed that Kosyak was a traitor and spy, an outburst sure to doom him amid the fevered atmosphere in the building, where suspicions ran high. Kosyak, 38, had seen the same anger in the passersby who sometimes accosted his pro-Ukraine prayer tent. And he saw it now in the rebels who tied him to a chair in the building and beat him as he prayed. He thought there was evil in it &mdash; real evil, because he believed in such things. He thought Satan grabbed hold of people with the ideas pouring into Donetsk on the Russian airwaves: that Russian-speakers there were in danger and needed to rise against Ukraine&#39;s government. When the beatings finally stopped, and he was cleared for release, he stayed in his chair for a minute to bless his assailants: God, enter their lives and open their eyes.
Kosyak was still bruised a deep purple under his dress shirt when he opened his sidewalk service more than a week later, on the last day of May. The interfaith vigils once drew hundreds, but attendance was fading as worried supporters fled. Thirty people stood at the edge of a busy bridge beneath an intermittent rain. The sermons were about Sodom: a biblical city so overrun with evil that God decided it couldn&#39;t be saved. In Genesis 19, angels send away a man named Lot, Sodom&#39;s last good soul. Then the Lord levels it from the skies. "God didn&#39;t destroy Sodom until Lot left," said a pastor named Pavel Zaystev, 46. "As long as we&#39;re here, there&#39;s still hope."
But he worried privately that Donetsk was beyond redemption. "You don&#39;t think even some miracle could change them," he said of the rebels. "That&#39;s why I think of Sodom: God destroyed them because he could not change them."
Ukraine&#39;s corrupt president, Viktor Yanukovych, a native of the Donetsk region and Russian ally, was ousted by a popular uprising in Kiev on Feb. 22. The conflict came to Russian-speaking Donetsk, where about half of the 1 million residents are ethnically Russian, soon afterward, initially with small demonstrations. Protesters worried that the new government would punish Russian-speakers &mdash; fears fueled by Kremlin propaganda. They believed that their language would be banned and that fascists from Kiev were coming to hurt them. At first, the so-called fascists they had in mind were members of the Right Sector, a fringe ultra-nationalist group that had played an outsized role on the front lines of the protests in Kiev, but soon the label included the new government and its supporters, who had largely ignored their concerns. Then the protesters were storming government buildings as Russia warned that it would intervene, if needed, to protect its "compatriots." They called for a referendum on secession, like the one that saw Russia annex Crimea in March, and they took up arms. Polls showed that most Donetsk residents wanted to remain in Ukraine, but outspoken opponents of the separatists began fleeing the city amid abductions and death threats. Some who remained deleted their Facebook pages, wondering who among their friends might be tracking their loyalties. "Fear is like a virus," one said.
But there was still hope for peace in Donetsk, the political nexus for eastern Ukraine&#39;s separatists and an important economic hub, even as fighting flared elsewhere. Throughout the spring, some residents had looked ahead to two events that might swing things back toward normalcy: Ukraine holding fresh presidential elections and Russia recalling the troops massed along the border nearby. Both came to pass, but they did nothing to stop the conflict from surging ahead. Each side had already come to see the battle as one between irreconcilable ideas &mdash; with an enemy that had to be eradicated. The fabric that let two groups of people with their own histories coexist in post-Soviet Ukraine had been ripped away. "This city needs to be cleansed," warned a Catholic priest at the unity vigil, and on another evening, inside an expanding, makeshift armory, a rebel in a flannel shirt said, "There is some dirt here now, and we have to clean it from our land."nonadultPastor Serhiy Kosyak.nonadultOn the afternoon before the vigil, a rebel commander from Russia sat before a bottle of bourbon at a faded desk and outlined his mission, which he said served God.
He was in a bright office at the end of an unlit hall, inside a compound that used to house the Ukrainian security service. He had a welcoming smile and tattoos that ran down his arms and peeked out from his crew neck. He was a leader in a group called the Russian Orthodox Army, and he went by the nickname Veren, or "the faithful."
"First of all it's purification of the land &mdash; purification from fascists," Veren said. He described an awakening of Russian identity centered on Donetsk, where it was under threat, and he seemed to be an incarnation of the ideology the pastor had seen on the Russian airwaves, personally spreading it by hand.
Just a few weeks <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/mikegiglio/inside-a-nerve-center-of-ukraines-shadow-war">earlier</a>, he had been overseeing what seemed like a small outlaw empire from the fifth floor of the rebel headquarters, the former government building, where masked men roamed the halls and speakers blared Soviet anthems from behind sprawling barricades. As separatist politicians scurried about overhead one day, Veren said he concerned himself with "special operations" &mdash; kidnappings and interrogations. Armed men kept handing him keys to cars they&#39;d taken from their enemies. He has since been expanding his power, trading his spot in the crowded building for the more exclusive digs of the security compound, where men with assault rifles blocked the approaches and access was controlled with an intensity that felt paranoid. The Russian Orthodox Army&#39;s seal of a Christendom-evoking sword and shield was stenciled onto each concrete block of one outer wall. On the wall across the street, another set of rebels, the highly professional Vostok battalion, had done the same, marking turf of their own.
In the new office, a Russian flag with the army&#39;s logo hung from a bookshelf, and portraits of a fierce-looking Jesus were taped to the walls. Stickers and insignia patches sat on the desk. The first edition of the army&#39;s newsletter had just arrived, and beneath its banner were recruitment phone numbers. It also had a website. Veren saw untapped potential in the Donetsk region&#39;s 5 million people &mdash; and maybe across the Russian-speaking world. "People support us, but they&#39;re afraid to take the first step," he said. "I&#39;m interested in any kind of promotion that gets the flow of people going."
They had even released a promotional rap video featuring gunmen packed into the same office. It got 200,000 YouTube views in less than a week. Veren bounced his head and lip-synched the lyrics as he twisted a computer monitor around:
<i>Till last fighter, till the victorious, glorious end
On the battlefield. Russian Orthodox!
Who if not us? When if not now?
Mom, I&#39;m sorry. Nobody but us.</i>nonadultnonadultLike many of the Russian nationals operating in Donetsk, Veren was something of an enigma: The dark tasks he said he employed didn't match his amiable demeanor. He had no military experience, he said; he&#39;d once owned a fast food chain, where he picked up his knack for marketing. He was a 34-year-old from Sochi, but his wife was from Donetsk. Rumors of covert Russian soldiers and spies &mdash; and financial and military aid &mdash; had swirled around the conflict, but Veren said he had no contact with the Russian government. He said he got his start in the separatist movement by attending the protests that erupted in March.
If he was a demon to the pastors at the prayer vigil, he was also a protector of local separatists, who believed they were largely on their own against the Ukrainian army and what they saw as its fascist allies. They worried that if enough civilians left the city, the government might bomb it.
A recruit walked into Veren&#39;s office. Overweight and nervous-looking in a button-down shirt, the young professional, 28, wasn&#39;t built for war. But he wanted to help &mdash; he and Veren discussed whether he might do some managerial work, maybe go on neighborhood patrols. "Because I&#39;m a conscious person," he said when asked why he wanted to join. "And when bad things come to your house, a conscious person can&#39;t ignore them."
With much of the whiskey, brought to the meeting as a gift, now gone, Veren described a more ambitious quality to the conflict at hand. "The Russian person should remain Russian in any nationality and any land," he said. The rebels gathered with him in the room &mdash; some locals and others Russian &mdash; likewise spoke about their battle as if it were about more than Donetsk. One man called it a "historical conflict," another "a conflict of mentalities." A likeness of St. George the dragon-slayer graced the army&#39;s flag because Russians throughout history had fought under his banner. Veren said he had started groups in nearby hotspots like Mariupol and Slavyansk &mdash; and also had his eye on Kiev, Serbia, Georgia.
But first he was building his franchise in Donetsk. Someone put the keys to an Audi on his desk. The car&#39;s registration showed that it belonged to the company of Serhiy Taruta, the billionaire steel magnate and regional governor. Taruta had fled to Kiev recently because of death threats. Veren went down to the compound&#39;s parking garage, empty except for a couple rows of commandeered vehicles, neatly parked. A man waiting there appeared to be working as valet.
Veren got into the Audi&#39;s driver&#39;s seat. "This is a good car. I&#39;ll trade it for 20 AK-47s," he said. It was just past sunset, and the compound was quiet as guards opened the gate so Veren could ease the car from the sealed-off rebel zone. Then he jammed the gas and sped through the city&#39;s quiet streets.
Later, as Veren and his comrades settled into a long dinner in a way that felt suddenly normal for a Friday night &mdash; they were the big, boisterous group at the restaurant carrying on happily as fellow diners tried not to mind &mdash; Fyodor, the intense young Russian who had designed the Army&#39;s flag, gave a lesson on history. Russians made their great advances, he said, in huge, sudden leaps. The pace seems slow; the momentum builds. Then comes the exhilarating wave. "We must only run," Fyodor said, seeming not to care where this moment would take him. "The end &mdash; it is nothing. Run to progress. Run to more."nonadultRebel commander Veren.nonadultWith darkness falling on a recent Sunday, a rebel in his fifties named Oleg wheeled a compact sedan through the city, his big frame packed into the driver's seat. A veteran of the feared Berkut riot police, he still carried a natural authority, with his shaved head and intense blue eyes. He was headed to the airport, where a battle on May 26 had shocked the city with its violence. A mechanic who lived nearby would later remember seeing dead civilians along the roadside as he sped home to get his dog; a soldier at the airport recalled getting orders to hold fire as rebels massed outside, then watching in awe when fighter jets arrived. The bloodshed, with at least 50 rebels killed, showed that war was closing on Donetsk, and some rebels embraced it. Others, like Oleg, seemed deeply shaken. Asked if he&#39;d been at the airport that day, he paused, looked down, and said, "Yes."
Donetsk &mdash; a relatively affluent city with riverside parks and a sparkling soccer stadium &mdash; seemed to proceed with normal life as Oleg drove past glass-walled office buildings. "It looks like there is no war. Everything is quiet &mdash; peaceful," he said. "And we will see how that will change now."
He pulled up to the last rebel checkpoint before the road to the airport became a no-man&#39;s-land. Shirtless men in dusty jeans worked feverishly in the fading sunlight, digging and stacking sandbags, with an eye to the approaching night. Then the sedan passed into the silence of the edge of war; the Ukrainian army was hidden in the distance somewhere. Oleg stopped the car in front of a flatbed truck. Bullet holes pocked the windshield; shoes and clothing scraps were scattered around. The back was caked in blood. Some 30 rebels had died there, Oleg said, when the truck was ambushed en route to the airport by a Ukrainian RPG team. The only sound on the deserted highway came from a billboard flapping in the wind overhead. "This cannot go without punishment," Oleg said.
A silver van pulled up suddenly, and a man in a black cap pointed a submachine gun from the driver&#39;s side window. "Who are you?" he shouted. A young couple, holding hands, approached on the sidewalk about 100 yards away, taking slow and deliberate steps toward an apartment building set back in the trees. Bursts of gunfire echoed nearby. Then the sedan was back onto Donetsk&#39;s busy streets. "And now there is no war. So it&#39;s a feature of civil war," Oleg said, meaning that sometimes people don&#39;t recognize it until it&#39;s right upon them. "Most people still don&#39;t understand that this is war. But when there will be more victims and more death, they will stand up."nonadultBerkut rebel commander Yuriy Sivokonenko.nonadult"You have to respond somehow to the killing," said another man late that night. He called himself a scientist, and his name was Mikhail. To make a tally of the dead around the truck just after the attack, he had counted their heads, since the bodies were in pieces. Then he crept in his sandals through the woods, armed only with a folding knife. When he came upon a Ukrainian soldier, he said, he killed him with the 6-inch blade. Mikhail, 56, had served in Afghanistan, but it was different this time, killing his fellow Ukrainian. "Before it was an order," he said. "Now it's voluntary."
He was sitting with friends inside a rebel-held building in the heart of the city, in a room where a small arsenal of guns leant against the walls. Half were old carabiners, half modern AK-74s &mdash; rebels were accumulating more weapons as they crawled deeper into the conflict. Mikhail put his folding knife on the table, and then produced the rifle of the soldier he said he had killed, with red stains along the shoulder strap. "It was covered in blood," Mikhail said. "I washed it, and now it belongs to me."
The Kiev government was stepping up what it had termed its "anti-terrorist operation," and the men felt it pressing closer. They thought of it as retribution &mdash; "a punishment operation" &mdash; rained down from tanks and airplanes. The rebels in the room, all former Berkut, had created a battalion, hoping to act as police, but instead they were being drawn into the war. Their burly commander, a 57-year-old martial arts instructor named Yuriy Sivokonenko, worried for his family, and had tried to ensure that his two sons wouldn&#39;t take up arms. His wife of 32 years, meanwhile, was breaking down, spending her days, he said, "crying and praying."
Sivokonenko said he hoped for compromise as he served homemade cognac and jam that supporters had donated. But the possibility seemed to be shrinking; the conflict had reopened past wounds and the present had become polarized. He took a book from the armoire where he kept the cognac, describing it as a key to the truths he was fighting to defend &mdash; he had always held them, but now they felt threatened by those of his neighbors. It was a beautiful hardcover with grand illustrations, detailing a glorious history of the ethnic Russian people dating back to the 14th century. Shown the book the next morning, a local historian who supports the government would dismiss it as "fairy tales and myths."nonadultThese Heart-Wrenching Photos Of A Day In The Life Of Syrian Rebels Just Won An International Awardhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/gavon/these-heart-wrenching-photos-of-a-day-in-the-life-of-syrian
Photographer Goran Tomasevic won first prize at the World Press Photo Contest in the “Spot News Stories” category, recognized for his brutally intimate portrait of opposition forces in Syria. All photos were taken on Jan. 30, 2013 during a battle with government forces in Damascus. WARNING: Graphic content.

A Syrian rebel shouts Allahu Akbar, "God is great," before his group attacks a government controlled army checkpoint in the Ain Tarma neighborhood of Damascus.

Goran Tomasevic / Reuters

The rebels fire a rocket-propelled grenade towards the checkpoint.

Goran Tomasevic / Reuters

The army returns fire and shells the rebel position.

Goran Tomasevic / Reuters

The smoke clears and a rebel grabs his head after being hit by debris.

]]>Gavon Laessighttps://www.buzzfeed.com/gavon/these-heart-wrenching-photos-of-a-day-in-the-life-of-syrianFri, 14 Feb 2014 14:34:27 -0500<b>Photographer Goran Tomasevic won first prize at the <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/tasneemnashrulla/18-incredible-images-that-won-the-world-press-photo-awards-o">World Press Photo Contest</a> in the "Spot News Stories" category, recognized for his brutally intimate portrait of opposition forces in Syria.</b> All photos were taken on Jan. 30, 2013 during a battle with government forces in Damascus. WARNING: Graphic content.gavonnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultThe End Of The Free Syrian Army?https://www.buzzfeed.com/mikegiglio/the-end-of-the-free-syrian-army
Islamist groups have recently captured key bases and interdicted supplies destined for the Free Syrian Army, putting the fate of the U.S.-backed force into serious question. “I think Western opposition policy is collapsing.”

AFP/AFP / Getty Images

ISTANBUL, Turkey — On the afternoon of Nov. 26, near the border in southern Turkey, Mohamed al-Kadi got behind the wheel of a white Isuzu delivery truck and drove into Syria. In the back of the truck sat a shipment of advanced communications equipment, provided by the United States. Kadi's mission was to bring it to the Free Syrian Army, or FSA, the U.S.-backed rebel coalition whose main base sat just a few miles into Syria.

Kadi, a deeply religious man partial to Muslim prayer beads and oddball humor, was a tech whiz with a degree in computer engineering. He'd been a young lieutenant in Damascus at the war's outset but defected early to the rebel side, where his computer skills saw him pulled from the front lines. He worked as a senior technician for the FSA's high command, based mainly inside Syria. But shortly after he crossed into Syria that afternoon, Kadi and the delivery truck disappeared. Days later, his body was found in a farm field, shot at point-blank range in the back of the head, hands tied behind his back.

The FSA blamed Kadi's death on the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, which claims to be Al-Qaeda's Syrian arm, saying the group had captured Kadi's truck along a critical supply route and stolen the equipment inside.

The incident alarmed the U.S., which had long worried about the possibility of the supplies it sends the FSA falling into the hands of extremists. Some U.S. allies inside the rebellion shared those concerns. "We warned the U.S. government for over a year about ISIS gathering strength and spreading in the North," said one opposition official involved in channeling U.S. assistance to the FSA.

Now many are questioning how much longer the FSA can survive, following news that fighters from a new, hardline coalition called the Islamic Front, which boasts an estimated 45,000 fighters in Syria, overtook its main bases and warehouses in Atimeh, a town near the Turkish border late last week. The powerful Islamist faction now stands poised to overtake the FSA as the country's dominant rebel force.

The FSA's loss of those key facilities — and the U.S.-provided supplies likely stored inside the warehouses — prompted the U.S. to suspend all shipments of non-lethal aid into northern Syria, dealing the FSA yet another blow.

Some in the Syrian opposition even saw the aid suspension as a pre-cursor for U.S. abandonment of the FSA. Rami Nakhla, a prominent Syrian activist based in Turkey, said the move signaled a "course-correction" for a U.S. administration anxious to disengage from an increasingly sectarian war. "U.S. government support to the FSA is nothing worth mentioning in the first place. [But] it is an important sign," he said. "The international community … needs a reason to stop supporting any player in this war. They just got their reason."

FSA officials have suggested that the struggle with the Islamic Front might be resolved through negotiations, and that U.S. shipments might eventually resume. But speculation is already swirling that the FSA and its leadership under Gen. Salim Idriss — officially called the Supreme Military Command, or SMC, the political opposition's military wing — might be at its end. One source close to the SMC called the Islamic Front's recent aggression in Atimeh "an attack and overthrow, basically."

"There is no longer an SMC headquarters under Idriss in northern Syria," the source said. "Everyone is now working to develop a new strategy."

The Wall Street Journalreported on Wednesday that the Islamic Front offensive had even forced Idriss to flee Syria, though he denied this in a CNN interview on Thursday, saying he hadn't been in Syria at the time. He is currently in Turkey.

Recent events raise a critical question for the FSA. If it can't secure its supply routes into Syria from Turkey, its most important base for international support, how can it survive? The FSA is also bleeding fighters to its more Islamist counterparts; several key battalions bolted for the Islamic Front last month. "You've got to ask: What does Selim Idriss control right now?" said Michael Stephens, the deputy director of the Royal United Services Institute in Qatar. "How does he get supplies and weapons to his fighters? And how is he going to get this stuff across the border without Islamic Front or one of the more extreme groups taking a cut? And the answer is he can't. This was almost like an internal coup."

The Islamic Front has received significant backing from Gulf countries. It says it want to establish an Islamic state in Syria, governed by Sharia Law — a far cry from the secular, democratic platform espoused by the SMC and main political opposition backed by the U.S. and its western allies. But while the Islamic Front is on the upswing, the FSA has been withering for months as its leaders plead for more meaningful support. "I think Western opposition policy is collapsing," Stephens said.

On Wednesday, State Department spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki reiterated U.S. support for the SMC and Idriss, leaving the door open for future aid shipments. But U.S. officials also gave divergent accounts of what took place on Friday — telling the Journal that Idriss had been in Atimeh and was forced to flee, while other outlets reported officials saying that he'd been in Turkey all along — suggesting that the U.S. is still working to make sense of the events. "The SMC continues to be, and this has not changed, the group that we work through and that we want other countries to provide aid and assistance to," Psaki said in a briefing with reporters.

The rise of the Islamic Front complicates Washington's plans for a Syria peace conference in Geneva next month, where it will push for a negotiated solution to the conflict. While Idriss has said he's open to the idea of negotiations with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the Islamic Front flatly rejects the idea. "The Islamic Front has made clear that negotiating with Damascus is treasonous," said Michael Weiss, a Syria analyst and columnist with NOW Lebanon. "And whatever motivated it to seize the Atimeh warehouse from the SMC, it wants outside parties to know that the future Syria, at least as far as the rebels are concerned, will be determined by Syrians inside Syria." And meanwhile: without a viable armed ally on the ground inside Syria, "no one who matters will listen to the U.S," Weiss said.

In Turkey, a key backer of the rebellion, there seems to be a more open-minded approach to the Islamic Front. Fighters from the front have cooperated with Al-Qaeda-linked rebels, but those groups were excluded from the alliance, and some proponents see the Islamic Front, while undoubtedly hardline, as a way to check Al-Qaeda's growing power in Syria. Turkish officials note that almost 60 percent of the fighters on the ground are now with the Islamic Front, and that some of its main groups either worked with or were part of the SMC until recently. "They're not completely new players on the ground, and it's not like they came from the outside with a completely radical agenda and ideas that are unworkable," one official said.

Idriss and the SMC, meanwhile, are still Turkey's main counterpart in Syria, Turkish diplomats stress. "He's still in place, and trying to deal with those different rebel groups with a view to keeping them under his authority. Much depends on how the international community responds to this new situation" the official said. "In order to be taken seriously on the ground, you must have the resources to be able to give a prospect to your troops. Otherwise you become irrelevant. This is why it is important to continue supporting İdriss and the SMC."

The SMC was founded last year, in a process pushed aggressively by the U.S. Rebels hoped then that its formation might lead to increased support, particularly in the form of the heavy weapons and reliable supplies of arms and ammunition that FSA leaders have long said they need to topple Assad — and also to keep their own soldiers in line.

But Washington's assistance has focused instead on non-lethal aid, which can range from ready-to-eat meals and medical equipment to vehicles and satellite phones. Small shipments of light weapons also began arriving via the CIA this fall. "It's been almost a year to the date that this thing was formed, and yet there has been very little support," says Salman Shaikh, director of the Brookings Doha Center. "We haven't had the right level of the training, or the intelligence, or the logistics, or the supplies that the FSA needed to become a true fighting force that could attract other fighters. I don't think those who are predicting complete demise are wrong, unless there's a major change in Western policy."

]]>Mike Gigliohttps://www.buzzfeed.com/mikegiglio/the-end-of-the-free-syrian-armyThu, 12 Dec 2013 14:41:38 -0500<b>Islamist groups have recently captured key bases and interdicted supplies destined for the Free Syrian Army, putting the fate of the U.S.-backed force into serious question.</b> "I think Western opposition policy is collapsing."mikegigliononadultnonadultISTANBUL, Turkey &mdash; On the afternoon of Nov. 26, near the border in southern Turkey, Mohamed al-Kadi got behind the wheel of a white Isuzu delivery truck and drove into Syria. In the back of the truck sat a shipment of advanced communications equipment, provided by the United States. Kadi's mission was to bring it to the Free Syrian Army, or FSA, the U.S.-backed rebel coalition whose main base sat just a few miles into Syria.
Kadi, a deeply religious man partial to Muslim prayer beads and oddball humor, was a tech whiz with a degree in computer engineering. He&#39;d been a young lieutenant in Damascus at the war&#39;s outset but defected early to the rebel side, where his computer skills saw him pulled from the front lines. He worked as a senior technician for the FSA&#39;s high command, based mainly inside Syria. But shortly after he crossed into Syria that afternoon, Kadi and the delivery truck disappeared. Days later, his body was found in a farm field, shot at point-blank range in the back of the head, hands tied behind his back.
The FSA blamed Kadi&#39;s death on the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, which claims to be Al-Qaeda&#39;s Syrian arm, saying the group had captured Kadi&#39;s truck along a critical supply route and stolen the equipment inside.
The incident alarmed the U.S., which had long worried about the possibility of the supplies it sends the FSA falling into the hands of extremists. Some U.S. allies inside the rebellion shared those concerns. "We warned the U.S. government for over a year about ISIS gathering strength and spreading in the North," said one opposition official involved in channeling U.S. assistance to the FSA.
Now many are questioning how much longer the FSA can survive, following news that fighters from a <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/seven-syrian-islamist-rebel-groups-form-new-islamic-front/2013/11/22/8a504da6-53bc-11e3-9ee6-2580086d8254_story.html">new, hardline coalition</a> called the Islamic Front, which boasts an estimated 45,000 fighters in Syria, overtook its main bases and warehouses in Atimeh, a town near the Turkish border late last week. The powerful Islamist faction now stands poised to overtake the FSA as the country&#39;s dominant rebel force.
The FSA&#39;s loss of those key facilities &mdash; and the U.S.-provided supplies likely stored inside the warehouses &mdash; prompted the U.S. to <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/mikegiglio/us-halts-aid-delivery-to-syrias-north-following-islamist-gai">suspend all shipments</a> of non-lethal aid into northern Syria, dealing the FSA yet another blow.
Some in the Syrian opposition even saw the aid suspension as a pre-cursor for U.S. abandonment of the FSA. Rami Nakhla, a prominent Syrian activist based in Turkey, said the move signaled a "course-correction" for a U.S. administration anxious to disengage from an increasingly sectarian war. "U.S. government support to the FSA is nothing worth mentioning in the first place. [But] it is an important sign," he said. "The international community &hellip; needs a reason to stop supporting any player in this war. They just got their reason."
FSA officials have suggested that the struggle with the Islamic Front might be resolved through negotiations, and that U.S. shipments might eventually resume. But speculation is already swirling that the FSA and its leadership under Gen. Salim Idriss &mdash; officially called the Supreme Military Command, or SMC, the political opposition&#39;s military wing &mdash; might be at its end. One source close to the SMC called the Islamic Front&#39;s recent aggression in Atimeh "an attack and overthrow, basically."
"There is no longer an SMC headquarters under Idriss in northern Syria," the source said. "Everyone is now working to develop a new strategy."
The <i>Wall Street Journal</i> <a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304202204579252021900591220">reported</a> on Wednesday that the Islamic Front offensive had even forced Idriss to flee Syria, though he denied this in a <a href="http://m.cnn.com/primary/cnnd_fullarticle?articleId=cnn/2013/12/12/world/meast/syria-civil-war&amp;branding=&amp;category=cnnd_world_meast&amp;pagesize=10">CNN interview</a> on Thursday, saying he hadn&#39;t been in Syria at the time. He is currently in Turkey.
Recent events raise a critical question for the FSA. If it can&#39;t secure its supply routes into Syria from Turkey, its most important base for international support, how can it survive? The FSA is also bleeding fighters to its more Islamist counterparts; several key battalions bolted for the Islamic Front last month. "You&#39;ve got to ask: What does Selim Idriss control right now?" said Michael Stephens, the deputy director of the Royal United Services Institute in Qatar. "How does he get supplies and weapons to his fighters? And how is he going to get this stuff across the border without Islamic Front or one of the more extreme groups taking a cut? And the answer is he can&#39;t. This was almost like an internal coup."
The Islamic Front has received significant backing from Gulf countries. It says it want to establish an Islamic state in Syria, governed by Sharia Law &mdash; a far cry from the secular, democratic platform espoused by the SMC and main political opposition backed by the U.S. and its western allies. But while the Islamic Front is on the upswing, the FSA has been withering for months as its leaders plead for more meaningful support. "I think Western opposition policy is collapsing," Stephens said.
On Wednesday, State Department spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki reiterated U.S. support for the SMC and Idriss, leaving the door open for future aid shipments. But U.S. officials also gave divergent accounts of what took place on Friday &mdash; telling the Journal that Idriss had been in Atimeh and was forced to flee, while other outlets reported officials saying that he&#39;d been in Turkey all along &mdash; suggesting that the U.S. is still working to make sense of the events. "The SMC continues to be, and this has not changed, the group that we work through and that we want other countries to provide aid and assistance to," Psaki said in a briefing with reporters.
The rise of the Islamic Front complicates Washington&#39;s plans for a Syria peace conference in Geneva next month, where it will push for a negotiated solution to the conflict. While Idriss has said he&#39;s open to the idea of negotiations with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the Islamic Front flatly rejects the idea. "The Islamic Front has made clear that negotiating with Damascus is treasonous," said Michael Weiss, a Syria analyst and columnist with NOW Lebanon. "And whatever motivated it to seize the Atimeh warehouse from the SMC, it wants outside parties to know that the future Syria, at least as far as the rebels are concerned, will be determined by Syrians inside Syria." And meanwhile: without a viable armed ally on the ground inside Syria, "no one who matters will listen to the U.S," Weiss said.
In Turkey, a key backer of the rebellion, there seems to be a more open-minded approach to the Islamic Front. Fighters from the front have cooperated with Al-Qaeda-linked rebels, but those groups were excluded from the alliance, and some proponents see the Islamic Front, while undoubtedly hardline, as a way to check Al-Qaeda&#39;s growing power in Syria. Turkish officials note that almost 60 percent of the fighters on the ground are now with the Islamic Front, and that some of its main groups either worked with or were part of the SMC until recently. "They&#39;re not completely new players on the ground, and it&#39;s not like they came from the outside with a completely radical agenda and ideas that are unworkable," one official said.
Idriss and the SMC, meanwhile, are still Turkey&#39;s main counterpart in Syria, Turkish diplomats stress. "He&#39;s still in place, and trying to deal with those different rebel groups with a view to keeping them under his authority. Much depends on how the international community responds to this new situation" the official said. "In order to be taken seriously on the ground, you must have the resources to be able to give a prospect to your troops. Otherwise you become irrelevant. This is why it is important to continue supporting &#x130;driss and the SMC."
The SMC was founded last year, in a process pushed aggressively by the U.S. Rebels hoped then that its formation might lead to increased support, particularly in the form of the heavy weapons and reliable supplies of arms and ammunition that FSA leaders have long said they need to topple Assad &mdash; and also to keep their own soldiers in line.
But Washington&#39;s assistance has focused instead on non-lethal aid, which can range from ready-to-eat meals and medical equipment to vehicles and satellite phones. Small shipments of light weapons also began arriving via the CIA this fall. "It&#39;s been almost a year to the date that this thing was formed, and yet there has been very little support," says Salman Shaikh, director of the Brookings Doha Center. "We haven&#39;t had the right level of the training, or the intelligence, or the logistics, or the supplies that the FSA needed to become a true fighting force that could attract other fighters. I don&#39;t think those who are predicting complete demise are wrong, unless there&#39;s a major change in Western policy."nonadultU.S. Halts Aid Delivery To Syria's North Following Islamist Gainshttps://www.buzzfeed.com/mikegiglio/us-halts-aid-delivery-to-syrias-north-following-islamist-gai
Islamist fighters pried key bases and warehouses from U.S.-backed rebels in northern Syria last week, causing the U.S. to suspend its assistance there. “We are obviously very concerned,” a U.S. official said.

Stringer / Reuters

ISTANBUL, Turkey — The United States has suspended delivery of non-lethal aid into northern Syria due to concerns over gains by Islamist rebels there, a U.S. official said on Tuesday.

The suspension halts direct U.S. assistance to Syria's rebel-held north, long an opposition stronghold and the focal point of U.S. efforts to support the country's moderate opposition. The affected aid includes supplies such as food and medicine, as well as vehicles and communications equipment.

The official said that humanitarian aid — which the U.S. channels through international and non-governmental organizations — will continue "and is not impacted by this suspension."

The suspension comes in response to a worrisome development for the Free Syrian Army, or FSA, the moderate rebel coalition backed by the U.S. and its western allies. The FSA has been losing ground steadily to hardline rebel factions, including local affiliates of Al-Qaeda and a powerful rival coalition called the Islamic Front. On Friday, Islamic Front fighters overtook several key FSA headquarters and warehouses in Atimeh, a town near the Turkish border, dealing the FSA a bracing blow — and drawing alarm from the U.S.

"We are obviously very concerned," the U.S. official said in emailed comments, requesting anonymity because of the issue's sensitivity. "As a result of this situation, the United States has suspended all further deliveries of non-lethal assistance into northern Syria."

The official added that the U.S. is working with FSA leadership — known as the Supreme Military Council, or SMC — and its leader, Gen. Selim Idriss, "to inventory the status of U.S. equipment and supplies provided to the SMC." This suggests that the U.S. is concerned that material it has provided to the FSA will be used by the Islamic Front instead.

The official said it was "too early to say what this means in the long-term," leaving the door open for aid deliveries to resume in the future. "We are gathering the facts and consulting with friends of the Syrian opposition on next steps in support of the Syrian people," the official said.

The official did not say whether lethal assistance to the FSA — in the form of light weapons provided by the CIA, which began arriving on a small scale this fall — would be affected by the suspension.

But one opposition official involved in channeling U.S. assistance to the FSA said he believed lethal assistance would be affected by the suspension as well.

He also worried that news of the suspension and the rebel infighting that prompted it could impact deliberations by U.S. lawmakers on funding for assistance to the Syrian opposition. Congress has been expected to approve an increase in those funds soon. "The timing couldn't be worse," he said.

U.S. assistance to the Syrian opposition is far outpaced by the arms and money provided by more ardent backers such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar. And it falls well short of the military support rebels have long said they need to prevail against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

But the suspension, in addition to lost supplies, also sends a damning message about the FSA, said Ammar Abdulhamid, a veteran opposition activist — showing it as increasingly overshadowed by its Islamist rivals and unable to control the flow of new supplies across the border. "The Islamists are going to use this to tell the population: We are the only ones who matter now," Abdulhamid said.

]]>Mike Gigliohttps://www.buzzfeed.com/mikegiglio/us-halts-aid-delivery-to-syrias-north-following-islamist-gaiTue, 10 Dec 2013 19:16:08 -0500<b>Islamist fighters pried key bases and warehouses from U.S.-backed rebels in northern Syria last week, causing the U.S. to suspend its assistance there.</b> &ldquo;We are obviously very concerned,&rdquo; a U.S. official said.mikegigliononadultnonadultISTANBUL, Turkey &mdash; The United States has suspended delivery of non-lethal aid into northern Syria due to concerns over gains by Islamist rebels there, a U.S. official said on Tuesday.
The suspension halts direct U.S. assistance to Syria's rebel-held north, long an opposition stronghold and the focal point of U.S. efforts to support the country&#39;s moderate opposition. The affected <a href="http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2013/09/213927.htm">aid</a> includes supplies such as food and medicine, as well as vehicles and communications equipment.
The official said that humanitarian aid &mdash; which the U.S. channels through international and non-governmental organizations &mdash; will continue "and is not impacted by this suspension."
The suspension comes in response to a worrisome development for the Free Syrian Army, or FSA, the moderate rebel coalition backed by the U.S. and its western allies. The FSA has been losing ground steadily to hardline rebel factions, including local affiliates of Al-Qaeda and a powerful rival coalition called the Islamic Front. On Friday, Islamic Front fighters <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/07/us-syria-crisis-fsa-idUSBRE9B607S20131207">overtook</a> several key FSA headquarters and warehouses in Atimeh, a town near the Turkish border, dealing the FSA a bracing blow &mdash; and drawing alarm from the U.S.
"We are obviously very concerned," the U.S. official said in emailed comments, requesting anonymity because of the issue&#39;s sensitivity. "As a result of this situation, the United States has suspended all further deliveries of non-lethal assistance into northern Syria."
The official added that the U.S. is working with FSA leadership &mdash; known as the Supreme Military Council, or SMC &mdash; and its leader, Gen. Selim Idriss, "to inventory the status of U.S. equipment and supplies provided to the SMC." This suggests that the U.S. is concerned that material it has provided to the FSA will be used by the Islamic Front instead.
The official said it was "too early to say what this means in the long-term," leaving the door open for aid deliveries to resume in the future. "We are gathering the facts and consulting with friends of the Syrian opposition on next steps in support of the Syrian people," the official said.
The official did not say whether lethal assistance to the FSA &mdash; in the form of light weapons provided by the CIA, which began arriving on a small scale <a href="http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-09-11/world/41972742_1_lethal-aid-syrian-rebels-chemical-weapons">this fall</a> &mdash; would be affected by the suspension.
But one opposition official involved in channeling U.S. assistance to the FSA said he believed lethal assistance would be affected by the suspension as well.
He also worried that news of the suspension and the rebel infighting that prompted it could impact deliberations by U.S. lawmakers on funding for assistance to the Syrian opposition. Congress has been expected to approve an increase in those funds soon. "The timing couldn&#39;t be worse," he said.
U.S. assistance to the Syrian opposition is far outpaced by the arms and money provided by more ardent backers such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar. And it falls well short of the military support rebels have long said they need to prevail against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
But the suspension, in addition to lost supplies, also sends a damning message about the FSA, said Ammar Abdulhamid, a veteran opposition activist &mdash; showing it as increasingly overshadowed by its Islamist rivals and unable to control the flow of new supplies across the border. "The Islamists are going to use this to tell the population: We are the only ones who matter now," Abdulhamid said.nonadultnonadultnonadultJohn McCain Jumps The Gun By Announcing That Obama Will Arm The Syrian Rebelshttps://www.buzzfeed.com/dorsey/john-mccain-jumps-the-gun-by-announcing-that-obama-will-arm
Oops.

"The president also will announce that we will be assisting the Syrian rebels by providing them with weapons and other assistance. I applaud the president's decision."

"It's my understanding that the president has not made the final decision on arming but he has made the decision that chemical weapons have been used."

]]>Dorsey Shawhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/dorsey/john-mccain-jumps-the-gun-by-announcing-that-obama-will-armThu, 13 Jun 2013 18:43:21 -0400<b>Oops.</b>dorseynonadult"High Probability" Syria Used Chemical Weaponshttps://www.buzzfeed.com/michaelrusch/high-probability-syria-used-chemical-weapons
President Bashar al-Assad accused rebels of a deadly chemical weapons missile attack on Tuesday. Rebels rebuffed the claims and blamed the regime. At least 25 people died and more than 110 others were injured in the town of Khan al-Asal, Syrian state media said.

A tank belonging to forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad is set on fire during what activists said were clashes between government forces and the Free Syrian Army, in the main south highway near Damascus, March 19, 2013.

Stringer / Reuters

(CNN) — There is a "high probability" that Syria deployed chemical weapons in the ongoing civil war, but final verification is needed, the chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee said Tuesday.

"I have a high probability to believe that chemical weapons were used," Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Michigan) told CNN. "We need that final verification, but given everything we know over the last year and a half, I would come to the conclusion that they are either positioned for use, and ready to do that, or in fact have been used."

Rogers and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California), chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, struck ominous tones in an interview on CNN's Situation Room about the possibility that Syria had crossed what President Barack Obama has said was a 'red line' that could lead to the United States getting involved militarily in the conflict.

]]>Michael Ruschhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/michaelrusch/high-probability-syria-used-chemical-weaponsTue, 19 Mar 2013 20:17:31 -0400<b>President Bashar al-Assad accused rebels of a deadly chemical weapons missile attack on Tuesday.</b> Rebels rebuffed the claims and blamed the regime. At least 25 people died and more than 110 others were injured in the town of Khan al-Asal, Syrian state media said.michaelruschnonadult<b>A tank belonging to forces loyal to Syria&#39;s President Bashar al-Assad is set on fire during what activists said were clashes between government forces and the Free Syrian Army, in the main south highway near Damascus, March 19, 2013.</b>nonadult<blockquote>(CNN) &mdash; There is a "high probability" that Syria deployed chemical weapons in the ongoing civil war, but final verification is needed, the chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee said Tuesday.
"I have a high probability to believe that chemical weapons were used," Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Michigan) told CNN. "We need that final verification, but given everything we know over the last year and a half, I would come to the conclusion that they are either positioned for use, and ready to do that, or in fact have been used."
Rogers and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California), chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, struck ominous tones in an interview on CNN's Situation Room about the possibility that Syria had crossed what President Barack Obama has said was a &#39;red line&#39; that could lead to the United States getting involved militarily in the conflict.</blockquote>nonadult<b>Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California) calls on the White House to make a statement:</b>nonadult<p><img src="http://a0.twimg.com/profile_images/3055835201/3b334384f97751c94f1e4d48f3686b29_normal.png">CNN: Sen. Feinstein on #Syria and chemical weapons: The White House needs to "make some statement as to what action the U.S. will take."-- BuzzFeed News</p>nonadultUnited States To Give Syrian Opposition $60 Million In Assistancehttps://www.buzzfeed.com/gavon/united-states-to-give-syrian-opposition-60-million-in-assist
Announced this morning by Secretary of State John Kerry, the U.S. will for the first time give direct nonlethal aid to forces opposing President Bashar Assad.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L) talks with New Syrian National Coalition head Mouaz al-Khatib during a meeting at Villa Madama in Rome, Feb. 28, 2013.

Remo Casilli / Reuters

ROME (AP) — The Obama administration said Thursday that it will provide the Syrian opposition with an additional $60 million in assistance and — in a significant policy shift — will for the first time provide nonlethal aid, like food and medical supplies, to rebels battling to oust President Bashar Assad.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry announced the new support and the decision to back the rebel fighters on the sidelines of an international conference on Syria in Rome, where European nations were also expected to signal their intention to provide fresh assistance to the opposition, possibly including defensive military hardware.

"No nation, no people should live in fear of their so-called leaders," Kerry said.

Free Syrian Army fighters carry their weapons and deploy after they seized control of regime's 80th Brigade's base near Aleppo International Airport, Feb. 23, 2013. Picture taken Feb. 23, 2013.

]]>Gavon Laessighttps://www.buzzfeed.com/gavon/united-states-to-give-syrian-opposition-60-million-in-assistThu, 28 Feb 2013 08:00:18 -0500<b>Announced this morning by Secretary of State John Kerry, the U.S. will for the first time give direct nonlethal aid to forces opposing President Bashar Assad.</b>gavonnonadultU.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L) talks with New Syrian National Coalition head Mouaz al-Khatib during a meeting at Villa Madama in Rome, Feb. 28, 2013.nonadult<p><img src="http://a0.twimg.com/profile_images/1858542119/twitter_seal_normal.jpg">#SecKerry: I am proud to announce US will provide an additional $60 million in non-lethal assistance to support Syrian Opposition Coalition.-- Department of State</p>nonadultROME (AP) &mdash; The Obama administration said Thursday that it will provide the Syrian opposition with an additional $60 million in assistance and &mdash; in a significant policy shift &mdash; will for the first time provide nonlethal aid, like food and medical supplies, to rebels battling to oust President Bashar Assad.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry announced the new support and the decision to back the rebel fighters on the sidelines of an international conference on Syria in Rome, where European nations were also expected to signal their intention to provide fresh assistance to the opposition, possibly including defensive military hardware.
"No nation, no people should live in fear of their so-called leaders," Kerry said.nonadultFree Syrian Army fighters carry their weapons and deploy after they seized control of regime&#39;s 80th Brigade&#39;s base near Aleppo International Airport, Feb. 23, 2013. Picture taken Feb. 23, 2013.nonadultHe said the U.S. decision is designed to increase the pressure on Assad to step down and pave the way for a democratic transition. The aid is also intended to help the opposition govern newly liberated areas of Syria and blunt the influence of extremists.
Kerry said Assad "is out of time and must be out of power."
"For more than a year, the United States and our partners have called on Assad to heed the voice of the Syrian people and to halt his war machine," Kerry said. "Instead, what we have seen is his brutality increase."
Kerry added, "The United States' decision to take further steps now is the result of the brutality of superior armed force propped up by foreign fighters from Iran and Hezbollah."nonadultSyria&#39;s President Bashar al-Assad answers journalists after a meeting at the Elys&eacute;e Palace in Paris, Dec. 9, 2010.nonadultWashington has already provided $385 million in humanitarian aid to Syria's war-weary population and $54 million in communications equipment, medical supplies, and other nonlethal assistance to Syria&#39;s political opposition. The U.S. also has screened rebel groups for Turkey and American allies in the Arab world that have armed rebel fighters.
But until now, no U.S. dollars or provisions have gone directly to rebel fighters, reflecting concerns about forces that have allied themselves with more radical Islamic elements since Assad&#39;s initial crackdown on peaceful protesters in March 2011.
"Given the stakes, the president will now extend food and medical supplies to the Syrian opposition, including the Supreme Military Council," Kerry said Thursday.nonadultRelatives mourn over a body, whom activists say was killed by shelling by forces loyal to Syria&#39;s President Bashar al-Assad, during his funeral in Houla near Homs February 25, 2013.nonadultThe $60 million will go to Assad's political opposition. U.S. officials said the rations and medical supplies will be delivered to the rebels through their military council, and is to be distributed only to carefully vetted members of the Free Syrian Army.
The U.S. will be sending technical advisors to the Syrian National Coalition offices in Cairo to oversee and help them spend the money for good governance and rule of law. The advisors will be from nongovernmental organizations and other groups that do this kind of work.nonadultA Syrian girl, Bushra al-Hassan, 4, injured from a government airstrike, cries at Jabal al-Zaweya village of Sarjeh, in Idlib, Syria, Monday, Feb. 25, 2013.nonadult<p><img src="http://a0.twimg.com/profile_images/1858542119/twitter_seal_normal.jpg">#SecKerry: No nation, no people, should live in fear of their so-called leaders.-- Department of State</p>nonadultGaddafi's Body On Display In A Morguehttps://www.buzzfeed.com/gavon/gaddafis-body-on-display-in-a-morgue
Graphic photos of the slain dictator in a Misrata morgue. Not for the squeamish.

The body of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi lies on a mattress in a morgue in Misrata, Libya, Friday, Oct. 21, 2011. The burial of slain leader Moammar Gadhafi has been delayed until the circumstances of his death can be further examined and a decision is made about where to bury the body, Libyan officials said Friday, as the U.N. human rights office called for an investigation into his death. (AP Photo/Manu Brabo)

(AP Photo/Manu Brabo)

(AP Photo/Rami al-Shabheibi)

]]>Gavon Laessighttps://www.buzzfeed.com/gavon/gaddafis-body-on-display-in-a-morgueFri, 21 Oct 2011 13:32:42 -0400<b>Graphic photos of the slain dictator in a Misrata morgue.</b> Not for the squeamish.gavonadultVideo Of The Moment Gaddafi Was Caughthttps://www.buzzfeed.com/gavon/video-of-the-moment-gaddafi-was-caught
Cell phone footage of the moment Libyan revolutionaries found a bloodied Muammar Gaddafi cowering in a drainage pipe. According to The Global Post, the rebels are screaming “Don’t kill him! We need him alive!” Officials with LIbya’s National Transitional Council claim the dictator later died of wounds sustained in a gun battle.

]]>Gavon Laessighttps://www.buzzfeed.com/gavon/video-of-the-moment-gaddafi-was-caughtFri, 21 Oct 2011 12:48:49 -0400<b>Cell phone footage of the moment Libyan revolutionaries found a bloodied Muammar Gaddafi cowering in a drainage pipe.</b> According to The Global Post, the rebels are screaming "Don&#39;t kill him! We need him alive!" Officials with LIbya&#39;s National Transitional Council claim the dictator later died of wounds sustained in a gun battle.gavonadultThe Best Anti-Gaddafi Chanthttps://www.buzzfeed.com/gavon/the-best-anti-gaddafi-chant
Shouted by revelers in Green Square as Tripoli falls to the rebels, this is apparently a popular nickname among the Libyan people for the soon to be ousted dictator. Ya got burnt, Moammar!

]]>Gavon Laessighttps://www.buzzfeed.com/gavon/the-best-anti-gaddafi-chantMon, 22 Aug 2011 14:01:13 -0400<b>Shouted by revelers in Green Square as Tripoli falls to the rebels, this is apparently a popular nickname among the Libyan people for the soon to be ousted dictator.</b> Ya got burnt, Moammar!gavonnonadultRebels Overtake Tripoli, Gadhafi Regime Crumbleshttps://www.buzzfeed.com/gavon/rebels-overtake-tripoli-gadaffi-regime-crumbles
Al Jazeera is reporting that the dynasty and regime of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi has fallen as rebels swiftly overtake the capitol of Tripoli, Gadhafi’s last stronghold. Two of Gadhafi’s sons have been captured by the freedom fighters, but the whereabouts of Gadhafi himself remain unknown. Regardless, his more than 40 years of autocratic rule in Libya appears to have come to an end. More as it develops.

President Obama Speaks About End Of Gadhafi Regime

]]>Gavon Laessighttps://www.buzzfeed.com/gavon/rebels-overtake-tripoli-gadaffi-regime-crumblesSun, 21 Aug 2011 19:30:39 -0400<b>Al Jazeera is reporting that the dynasty and regime of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi has fallen as rebels swiftly overtake the capitol of Tripoli, Gadhafi&#39;s last stronghold.</b> Two of Gadhafi&#39;s sons have been captured by the freedom fighters, but the whereabouts of Gadhafi himself remain unknown. Regardless, his more than 40 years of autocratic rule in Libya appears to have come to an end. More as it develops.gavonnonadultGadhafi Government No Longer Recognizedhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/toddvanluling/gadhafi-government-no-longer-recognized
The United States along with more than 30 other nations have ceased to recognize Gadhafi as the head of Libya instead recognizing the rebel forces as the new leaders of the country. The new government plans to be a democracy as of now so this is potentially great news. To celebrate here are some pictures of “sad Gadhafi.”

]]>Todd Van Lulinghttps://www.buzzfeed.com/toddvanluling/gadhafi-government-no-longer-recognizedFri, 15 Jul 2011 10:10:39 -0400<b> The United States along with more than 30 other nations have ceased to recognize Gadhafi as the head of Libya instead recognizing the rebel forces as the new leaders of the country. </b> The new government plans to be a democracy as of now so this is potentially great news. To celebrate here are some pictures of "sad Gadhafi."toddvanlulingnonadultBoy Brutally Murdered By Syrian Forces Sparks Second Wave Of Uprising (NSFW)https://www.buzzfeed.com/gavon/boy-brutally-murdered-by-syrian-forces-sparks-seco

Horrifying video. Hamza Al-Khatib, a 13-year-old boy, was detained by Syrian forces at a checkpoint in the village of Jiza on April 29th. His barely recognizable corpse was returned to his parents nearly a month later. This video, filmed and posted on Youtube by his parents, details the horrific wounds covering Hamza’s body. He was beaten, burned, shot and had his genitals cut off. Hamza has since become a martyr for the Syrian rebellion. WARNING: Graphic video.

]]>Gavon Laessighttps://www.buzzfeed.com/gavon/boy-brutally-murdered-by-syrian-forces-sparks-secoWed, 01 Jun 2011 19:14:02 -0400<b>Horrifying video.</b> Hamza Al-Khatib, a 13-year-old boy, was <a href="http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/05/201153185927813389.html">detained by Syrian forces</a> at a checkpoint in the village of Jiza on April 29th. His barely recognizable corpse was returned to his parents nearly a month later. This video, filmed and posted on Youtube by his parents, details the horrific wounds covering Hamza&#39;s body. He was beaten, burned, shot and had his genitals cut off. Hamza has since become a martyr for the Syrian rebellion. WARNING: Graphic video.gavonnonadult